Salinas Thanksgiving

For a number of years, my uncle and his family has been hosting an early Thanksgiving, and this was the first time Boyphoenix and I attended. It was also my first trip to the west coast.

We flew into San Francisco, picked up our rental car, and drove down Route 280 - just in time for the rush hour traffic, though things flowed smoothly.

Quick Tips:

Do plan a side trip to the Monterrey Peninsula, only a short drive away. While there, take in the sights and sounds of the sea lions sunning themselves on the rocks along the shore.

Best Way To Get Around:

It's best to drive, since things are fairly spread out.

The Laurel Inn Motel offers straight-forward, no-frills lodging at under $100 per night. Each room has an assigned parking space right outside. Spacious rooms, fluffy towels. Shower only (no tub), no coffee maker, no iron/ironing board. Complimentary coffee and pastry are offered each morning in the lobby, though we opted for the restaurant across the parking lot (see my entry in this journal for the Black Bear Diner). Our room adjoined a conference room where a group of women were holding a baby shower, which thankfully did not go on to the wee hours because it seeed as though they were in the room with us.

The property also sports a pool, which was not open when we were there, as it was November.

Located next to the Laurel Inn, I highly recommend the Black Bear Diner for its casual down-home cooking with a South American accent. Choose either classic meat and potatoes or hot and spicy beans and rice. For breakfast, get biscuits and gravy alongside your eggs. Or maybe you prefer pancakes. Whatever you choose, it's bound to be good. But be prepared to wait. Everything is made to order - entrees are not sitting under heat lamps or in a hot water bath back in the kitchen.

There is a gift shop as well, offering homemade jams, T-shirts and night shirts. We passed on making any purchases, choosing instead to save our money for a later trip to Gilroy, Garlic Capital of the World.

The excellent service provided by the friendly staff made me feel welcome. The Bear is a welcome departure from the often second-rate service found at restaurants of this type. Honest food at an honest price.