A Far Away Place

Where do you go to recharge your batteries? Some people might just hang with friends. Others might hit the golf course or go on a long bike ride. Still others might get lost in a book or paint.

Whatever you do or wherever you go to unwind, I think the key is distance. You have to feel like you're in a place that's – at least emotionally – far removed from the day-to-day grind.

For Trudi and me that's Pacific Grove, the sleepy seaside village next to Monterey. The photo at the right is from April, when the PG waterfront is covered with a carpet of bright pink miniature iceplant flowing down to meet the rugged Pacific coast. For me it doesn't get more beautiful than this.

We're down here now with our buddy Kent Reed. It's about 100 miles door to door, but for us, it feels like a million miles away from the Bay Area. I guess the key for me is that when I'm in the Bay Area, I'm in "doing" mode. I do my job, I do my volunteer work, I'm doing stuff around the house, etc. When I'm here, I can just be.

The weather this weekend is simply unreal. 75 degrees in PG and not a cloud in the sky. It's even warmer inland in Carmel Valley, where we went wine tasting on Friday. I'll tell you more about the restaurants and wineries soon.