weekend in carmel — hey it's maya

I just got back from a weekend trip in Carmel with my friend Meera! Meera and I had a lot of fun going on hikes together, watching Brooklyn 99, cooking together, and jamming out with the piano.

Carmel is definitely one of my “soul cities,” as my mom calls it. A soul city is a place that you feel really relaxed and happy in—it’s a place where you’ve made a lot of good memories. It doesn’t have to be a city either, it could be a small town, a certain spot, a street, etc.

I love Carmel because it’s right by the water and I always feel so at peace there. It’s a place where I feel like I can slow down and just take a deep breath. I’ve also found that being in Carmel gives me the time and space to feel more inspired creatively. I’ve experimented with lots of different recipes and I’ve even enjoyed writing music while I’ve been in Carmel. I mean, it’s hard not to be inspired when you’re surrounded by such serene beauty!

Some of my favorite things to do in Carmel are walk along Scenic Road, which goes right along the coast, spend time at Carmel River State Beach, explore the many little shops and alleyways in downtown Carmel, go on runs, and just spend time relaxing with friends and family.

Thank you to Meera for another great weekend in Carmel!

P.S. I’d love to hear from you what your “soul city” or place is..

I lived in Carmel with friends for a few months last year too. Check out my post on it here. I also spent some time in Carmel with my family; feel free to check it out here and here.

Pancakes for Breakfast!

Thanks for the pancakes Meera (and for making them dairy-free)

Garland Ranch Regional Park

Carmel Valley, California

This is a great park with lots of different hiking trails. It’s located more inland in Carmel Valley, so it’s often sunnier than Carmel (which can be foggy, especially in the summer). The hike took us through many beautiful, shaded forested areas. There were several parts of the hike that looked so majestic that we were surprised we didn’t see little elves hiding away in the trees and bushes ;)

After our hike, we got a refreshing smoothie from The Big Squeezy in Crossroads Shopping Mall. Definitely recommend as a post-hike treat.

Garrapata State Park

Monterey County, California

This hike is one of the most beautiful hikes that I’ve ever done. Even though we were in California right near the coastline, it felt like we were in some faraway mountain range. The scenery took my breath away, especially when we hiked through a beautiful, open valley with huge mountains towering around us. It really felt like we were in a scene from The Lord of the Rings or The Sound of Music! It was incredible! Aside from the surreal mountain scenery, another great thing about this hike is that it takes you through both open valley as well as forested shaded areas. Also, it starts and ends right near the beach (it can’t get much better than that!)

If you haven’t already checked this hike out, I highly recommend it. We went at a great time when it wasn’t too foggy, so if you can, try to go on a sunny or partly cloudy day. These pictures can’t do the hike justice, so you’ll have to check it out if you’re in the area!

17-Mile Drive

Monterey County, California

The 17-mile drive is a famous drive that Meera and I thought we’d do while we were in the area. It was cool to see some iconic spots, like The Lone Cypress and Bird Rock. The drive was really beautiful; it took us through windy tree-shaded streets as well as right along the Pebble Beach golf course and the ocean. We went on a foggier day, but I’d love to do the drive again on a sunnier day.