CRA News February 2006

Selected articles from the newsletter of the Carmel Residents Association

You are invited to the Citizen of the Year Celebration Sunday, February 26, 3:30 p.m. See details below.

Come Celebrate with the Citizen of the Year

Association outings and events

Wed., March 8, 10 to 11:15 a.m. -- Tour of Firebird Foundry in Marina (suggested by Frankie Laney), followed by a no-host lunch. It includes seeing a bronze "pour" and learning about the 30 handcrafted stages involved in creating a fine art bronze piece. Founded in 1974, the Foundry comprises the Monterey Sculpture Center's impressive sculpture showroom and outdoor sculpture walk. For members only.

Thurs., April 6, all-day bus trip to Filoli in Woodside. Cost (approx. $50) will include bus transportation, lunch on the grounds, plus a one-hour walking tour through the gardens and one-hour tour of the house. Group will depart at 10 a.m. from Black Bear Diner area. Details in March CRA News. For members only.

May, date t.b.a. -- Tour of Carmel Mission and Museum led by expert docent and Carmel Residents Association board member Mary Condry. For members only.

Thurs., May 25, Celebrating the Artist Amongst Us to be held at the Carl Cherry Center for the Arts. This is a repeat of the popular event showcasing Carmel Residents Association artists, writers, poets and musicians--a new addition this year. If you have questions, please call Frankie Laney at 624-3130. Open to the public.

Future outings planned for members: Stanford's Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford's Cantor Art Museum and Rodin Sculpture Garden, deYoung Museum, a fall wine tour and a special tour of Robinson Jeffers' Tor House.

OUR FAVORITE PLACES

Buy local! Help stem the loss of our favorite businesses!

"La Bohème was a Carmel institution--I thought it would always be here!" "How can serious readers survive the loss of the Thunderbird Book Store?"

We have all either heard the above laments or uttered them ourselves. The next question we must ask ourselves, however, is: although we loved the idea of Bohème, how often did we actually eat there? Or, how many books did I purchase at the Thunderbird compared to the ones I bought at Borders or Amazon.com?

Can we realistically expect our beloved Carmel institutions to be here when we need them unless we make a pro-active effort to support them? Many small, local businesses are barely hanging on these days.

A Carmel business community member put it this way: "I used to buy frozen yogurt in the winter from the shop in Carmel Plaza to make sure it would still be there in the summer."

We are blessed to live in a community with so many diverse shops within walking distance. It's true that we have lost many resident-oriented businesses. But it is also true that many remain: Nielsen's, Bruno's, Surf 'n Sand, Carmel Drug, Copies-by-the-Sea, Pilgrim's Way Bookstore (which will order any book they don't have in stock), Knapp Hardware, plus wonderful restaurants, shoe stores, clothing stores, a candy store, gift shops ... the list goes on.

For many of us, making ends meet on a retirement income isn't easy. That naturally leads to necessary scrutiny of every purchase in terms of saving as much as possible. But, if each of us takes a small step to buy local more often, it will help. Besides, many Carmel prices are less than elsewhere. Seasoned shoppers have discovered that gasoline, food and drug prices are no higher and sometimes lower than in other Peninsula locations. And the pleasure and ease of patronizing service-friendly Carmel-by-the-Sea shops, stores and service stations often makes shopping locally the best option available.

If we join together in an effort to do as much as possible to support our local shops, grocery stores, restaurants and gas stations, hopefully a year from now we won't be lamenting the loss of even more Carmel institutions.

President's Message
Something of Value

by Sherry Shollenbarger

This message is the result of two recent conversations. The first one was with a City Council member, also a member of Carmel Residents Association, who stated that city sales tax revenue is down and hotel occupancy flat. The second conversation was with a local business woman who likewise is a member of the Carmel Residents Association. She and I discussed a recent article in the AARP magazine saying that the baby boomer impact on our society offers some interesting observations, one of which is that baby boomers have indicated that they will seek places of historic value as destinations when they travel. We talked about the potential for this baby boomer travel to increase sales tax and hotel tax revenue and to encourage preservation of our history-a win for business and a win for the residents.

What is something of value? Is it of value only if it's in jeopardy of being lost, because it's desired by others or because it is one-of-a-kind, rare? Perhaps all of the above apply to something of value.

Every time I walk along Scenic Drive I am grateful for the fact that this area is a National Marine Sanctuary. Its value was determined by the cooperation and hard work of many people and agencies. Oil rigs will not blight the magnificent beauty of the Central Coast.

Locally, the sale of the Flanders property is a concern because the city is selling valuable parkland. Land that they could not afford to buy back. Why not lease the building and hold on to the land?

More and more the agenda for City Council meetings includes appeals to the decisions made by the Planning Commission, the Design Review Board and the Forest and Beach Commission. Why is this important? It is important because these commissions, appointed by the City Council, have made their determinations regarding projects put before them based on policy. Homes built in defiance of approved design should not get the seal of approval from the City Council through appeal. Policy must be followed.

Can we, by appreciating the value of our heritage, work together to maintain, restore when necessary, and protect not only the physical beauty of Carmel but the innate art and architecture? Will the essence of our community, which has been written about and nurtured for a century, remain a major priority for residents and businesses alike? Many of us have determined that Carmel is definitely a place of value. Can we agree that in our small village historical legacy must be a priority? Here and now, we can work together towards a common goal. Success in preserving our heritage does not have to be at the expense of either resident or business. Let us begin thinking about a well-preserved, thriving Carmel. Carmel is something of value. We do not have to lose it to appreciate it, many already desire it, and it is steeped in physical, artistic and architectural beauty. Protecting the historical value of Carmel is a win/win proposition!

COUNCIL WATCH

Two appeals with far-reaching impacts headed for City Council's April 4 meeting

Carmel Fire Station Retrofit and Department ReLocation
Downloaded from "News Now" on the
Carmel Fire Department website

In mid-December, 2005, the Carmel Fire Department staff vacated the fire station on Sixth between San Carlos and Mission and took up residence at the Vista Lobos property on Torres between Third and Fourth. The former site of Carmel Builders Supply will serve temporarily as the Carmel Fire Department while the building that has been called home for close to 70 years is seismically upgraded and given an internal face lift.

Through the leadership and guidance of Fire Chief Andrew Miller and Shift Commander Ian Watts and the technical support and hard work from Public Works, Building and Maintenance and Fire Department staff members, the Vista Lobos property was transformed. What used to be a few rooms and a parking lot are now the Carmel Fire Department, with living quarters and a kitchen to support the 24-hour shift personnel, tents to shelter the fire and rescue apparatus and offices to handle the administrative needs of the staff.

The relocation of the fire department is the result of a tremendous amount of teamwork and sacrifice. We appreciate the support and backing of the city administration, as well as the efforts of those mentioned above. We deeply appreciate the sacrifices and patience of our current neighbors, who must deal with the challenges that the daily operations of a fire department bring. In addition, we thank those of you who normally use the Vista Lobos meeting facilities and parking lot, and are currently not able to, for your patience and support during this project. Finally, our thanks go out to the Carmel Youth Center and its staff for allowing us the use of the facility for our public education program, as well as certain fire department training needs.

If you need to come to the current fire station for assistance from the staff, the entrance is located on the west side of Torres, north of Fourth, just past the Torres Street side of the Garden Court Inn. The signs will direct you to available short-term guest parking. The vehicle exit is located at the very north end of the complex at Third Avenue. If you are still unsure on how to find us please phone 620-2030 and we will be happy to direct you.

Work is scheduled to begin February 1, 2006, on the seismic retrofit of the original fire station. Barring any unforeseen problems, the project is supposed to be completed sometime in the summer of 2006.

When the project is finished, the same efforts that went into bringing the fire department to Vista Lobos will be directed into returning it to the downtown location. This will involve transforming Vista Lobos back to its pre-fire department relocation status, including removing the tents, portable living quarters and communications systems, along with bringing all of the administrative and fire equipment and supplies back to the newly-retrofitted Sixth Avenue station.

Again, our sincere thanks to everyone who has helped to make this project possible.

New Citizens' Emergency Response Training (CERT) class starting in March

The next Citizens' Emergency Response Training (CERT) class will be held on Thursdays, March 16, 23, 30, April 6 and 13 from 6 to 10 p.m. An optional CPR class will be offered after the completion of the CERT class on a date to be determined. Class locations include Rio Road, Carmel Highlands and Carmel Fire Stations, along with the Carmel Youth Center. Questions, please call Leslie Fenton or Mitch Kastros at 620-2030 at the Carmel Fire Department.

DID YOU KNOW?

Carmel-by-the-Sea has a leash law for dogs in all areas of the city except Carmel Beach and city parks. In the spirit of keeping the community clean, owners are required to clean up after their dogs. If the rules are not obeyed, pet owners can be cited and fined in all areas (including the beach and city parks). As a reminder and to assist residents, plastic disposal bags are available at numerous locations around town. The city has greatly expanded the number of dispensers.

A constant complaint from beach walkers, however, is that many dog owners do indeed pick up after their pets, but then drop the filled bags on the beach, leaving them for beach cleanup volunteers or other conscientious dog owners to pick up. This is not acceptable. The Forest and Beach Commission has approved a new sticker to be placed on bag dispensers asking that the filled bags be disposed of in a city trash container. This should help.

OLD CARMEL
by Connie Wright

Nora May French: "a stormy petrel"

Nora May French, one of Carmel's early Bohemians, was born April 26, 1881, in Aurora, New York. The family moved to Southern California in the 1880's, and she studied at U.C.L.A., then art for a year in New York, then returned to Los Angeles to live with her sister Helen. At twenty-five she came to San Francisco to try to make a reputation as a writer. Her poetry and she herself attracted Harry Lafler, literary editor of the San Francisco Argonaut. Lafler, a notorious womanizer, was married. Also attracted to her, among many others, was Captain Alan Hiley, who kept his yacht in Santa Cruz, and like Lafler, was married.

Carmel's Bohemia began in 1905 when San Franciscan George Sterling, the self-styled King of Bohemia, moved here. Friends built George and Carrie Sterling a house on Torres between 10th and 11th, now belonging to Elisabeth and Lou Ungaretti. George had many San Francisco friends and after the San Francisco earthquake of April 18, 1906, some sought refuge in the Sterlings' tent house. The photographer Arnold Genthe built himself a house the same year and Mary Austin, who had a considerable literary reputation, came to Carmel also. Nora May and Harry Lafler came to stay from December 23 to 26. Jimmy Hopper, travel writer, appeared and eventually moved in with Fred Bechdolt, a novelist.

Sterling describes Nora May as "An inscrutable creature, with hair of the brightest gold and a deadly smile (her lips were like a 'scarlet thread.')" She was tall and svelte and, he adds, "She played with men as with pebbles."

In the fall of 1907, Nora May was broke, depressed, not in love with anyone and ill. The Sterlings finally persuaded her to stay in their tent house. On November 1, Nora May seemed much happier and went with Bechdolt and Carrie Sterling to look for mushrooms; that night she cooked spaghetti for Mary Austin and Bechdolt, and Mary talked about the heroine of her novel committing suicide by drinking potassium cyanide. Jimmy Hopper appeared from Oakland the next day and he and his "golden girl" began to take horseback rides. On November 4, Jimmy, Bech, Carrie, Nora May and George Sterling played poker. On November 9, they went to see the Impressionist painter and genial host Charles Rollo Peters in Monterey. On November 11, George was away on business.

There are several versions of what happened about this time--one, that Nora May purchased a small amount of potassium cyanide from Dr. Beck, the local pharmacist. The other version was that the Carmel Bohemians had formed a suicide club and each of them was given a small amount of potassium cyanide, so that if life became intolerable he or she could leave it. Aging, for example, was one good reason to take poison.

On November 14, after what appeared to Carrie to be a cheerful evening, she and Nora May went to bed. In the night Nora May made a strange noise in her throat and Carrie, investigating, discovered that Nora May had foam on her lips. She grew cold and, despite the efforts of Jimmy and Bech, she died. They discovered cyanide sediment in the bottom of her glass.

According to one version of what happened, Nora May committed suicide out of unrequited love for Jimmy Hopper; according to another, she despised him, and no one knew why she did it. Jimmy himself said: "She was playing tag with us tanglefooted blunderers, and suddenly with a dart and a dodge she eluded us."

There was a furor in the San Francisco papers. Harry Lafler, Alan Hiley, her sister Helen and George appeared. Nora May was cremated and George Sterling wrote: "Nov. 22: we cast her ashes into the sea from her favorite cliff at Point Carmel." He added, "She was a stormy petrel," a seabird which never comes to land. George, who had tried to interest people in her poetry while she was alive, edited her poems for publication now that she was dead. One of them, The Constant Ones, shows some artistic promise:

Spotlight on members

In the announcement in last month's CRA News of the Feb. 8 tour of the Maritime Museum, we neglected to mention Carmel Residents Association member Jim Wright's long association with the Museum. We asked him for details:

"In 1980 I became Executive Director of the Monterey History and Art Association, the parent organization of the Allen Knight Maritime Museum, and Deputy Director of the Museum at its original location on Calle Principal. Admiral Earl Stone, former Superintendent of the Naval Postgraduate School, was the volunteer Director of the Maritime Museum at that time.

"During the 1980's we began planning for a new and expanded museum on the present site adjacent to the Monterey waterfront. I became the project manager for construction of the new Monterey Maritime Museum and History Center and we hired a full time director of the museum. Ground was broken in July, 1991, and we opened our doors to the public in Oct., 1992.

"I retired as Executive Director of the Monterey History and Art Association in 1994 and later served as Treasurer on the Board of Directors. I am presently serving on the committee formed to celebrate the Association's 75 years of preserving the heritage of California's first capital this year."

And, speaking of members and outings ... Bobbie Jungnick was a 5+-year docent at Filoli, where CRA members are traveling on April 6. She conducted tours of the house and its gardens as well as leading nature walks for children on the estate's extensive trails.

Longtime member Lisa Budlong has recently been named manager of the Chamber of Commerce's new Visitor Center. In just five years, Lisa has risen from being a volunteer at the Chamber's summer kiosk at Carmel Plaza to being a full-time employee. Located on San Carlos between 5th and 6th, near KRML and the Hog's Breath Inn, the Center welcomes locals and has information about upcoming events, shops and restaurants and even a few coupons. Stop by to say hello to Lisa, and she'll give you a tour. She also said the Center is looking for a few volunteers who really know their way around Carmel.

Remember that your City Council is on T.V.

City Council meetings are taped and re-broadcast
Sundays, 8 a.m. - 12 noon on
KMST Channel 26