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| Food Drive Co-captains: left Marla Rea; right Susan Clark |
Alain Pinel Realtors, Carmel has just “kicked off” an end of the year food drive benefiting the Food Bank for Monterey County with enthusiastic shouts of “Yes We Can!” The community-minded realtors recognized the increased needs of the Food Bank and determined that it was time to step up and help. Realtors will be collecting non-perishable food at all their Open Houses beginning Friday, November 18th. This weekend they hope to see their baskets brimming with food for those who are less fortunate.
Locations will be advertised in the Herald and in the Carmel Pine Cone which can also be viewed online. Donations can also be dropped off at the Alain Pinel offices in Carmel at the corner of Ocean Avenue & Dolores and Junipero between 5th and 6th. Alain Pinel Realtors will collect food at their Open Houses through December 31st. They will also accept donations. Checks should be made out to the” Food Bank for Monterey County.”
The Carmel magazine reported that the amount of people needing assistance has almost doubled and donations have drastically dwindled. Recipients include the newly unemployed, senior citizens, farm workers, individuals on a fixed income, and families hit with unexpected expenses. The Food Bank is seeking non-perishable nutritious food such as canned tuna, peanut butter, canned vegetables and fruit, non-sugary cereals, and spaghetti sauces.
Please consider stopping off at an Open House this weekend and making a donation.
Posted by: 
Susan Clark
Ballet, phenomenal music programs, art gallery open houses, and all kinds of other holiday festivities. Special events will continue throughout the month. Don’t miss the Camerata singers performing “A Day For Dancing” at the Carmel Mission 12/17-19 or the eighth annual celebration of “Lessons and Carols” also performed at the Mission on the 19th at 7:00pm..jpg)
out for the season with beautiful Christmas trees in our offices and Santa out front in his little red Mini Cooper pulled by two dashing reindeer.
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The “Crosby Clambake”, a small tournament for Bing and his friends, has transformed into an incredible event that never fails to bring thousands of visitors to the Monterey Peninsula in early February. The Monterey Peninsula Foundation, the organization that puts on the tournament, expects 150,000 – 200,000 attendees and hopes to raise $7 million for local charities. Practice rounds began in the beginning of the week, and on Wednesday the “Birdies for Charity Shoot-out” took place. Thursday is the first day of play and the final round takes place on Sunday. What draws such a large gallery? Golf enthusiasts not only like to watch great golf, but also like to ogle the celebrities that participate from the worlds of sports, music, and the big screen. The likes of Michael Bolton, Tom Brady, Kenny G, Andy Garcia, Chris Berman, Tony Romo, Don Cheadle, Chris O’Donnell, and Vince Gill will be on the course and ready to sign autographs. Also playing, comedians George Lopez and Bill Murray will keep the gallery in stitches with their antics. I remember one year, Bill Murray was horsing around with a spectator and the poor woman fell into a sand trap!
While I was holding my listing open on San Marcos Road, a neighbor stopped in and whispered to me “Carmel Woods is our hidden secret.” After many showings and numerous Open Houses at this property, I have to agree. Removed from the tourist frenzy of Carmel-by-the-Sea, but just a few blocks from town, this peaceful neighborhood is a treasure. Residents meander through their winding wooded streets taking their daily constitutional waving to their neighbors as they go by. Homeowners “in the Woods” enjoy a rare intimacy with their fellow residents unknown in some of the other areas. 
Carmel Woods is located just north of the village of Carmel and includes many lovely homes situated on forested lots – some having ocean views. Good values are to be had by the savvy buyer, since these homes normally sell for less than they would if they were located right in town. For instance, my listing at 24447 San Marcos recently sold for $755,000 and was a lovely 2BR/2BA home on an over-sized corner lot. If you are looking for a Carmel home, consider Carmel Woods as a great alternative to some of the more expensive neighborhoods. I think you’ll be delighted! 
There are many wonderful neighborhoods in Carmel Valley and the “Brookdale area” close to the world renowned Quail Lodge and Golf Course is one of the most-desired. It’s just five minutes from Hwy One but far enough from the Coast to have warm sunshine in the summertime instead of the coastal fog. The weather is ideal for outdoor living so whatever your passion may be … golf, tennis, swimming, hiking, horseback riding, or walking on the beach – it’s close by. 
Just across Carmel Valley Road is September Ranch where you can board your horse and ride on beautiful valley trails for miles. Garland Park is a treasure also with miles of trails for hikers, equestrians, and even bird watchers! The white sands of Carmel Beach are a few minutes away and if you travel south a few miles you’ll experience the phenomenal Point Lobos. 
River School in Carmel, then to Carmel Middle School and High School. There are also very fine private schools not far from this neighborhood such as All Saints and Junipero Serra School. All of these attributes are great, but when you talk to the residents who live here the number one thing they find so desirable is that it is a “real neighborhood” with caring neighbors who look out for each other. Not always easy to find these days. If you’d like to consider living in this fabulous area, give me a call (831-320-6801); I have just the home for you! 
Why do so many people want to live in Carmel Valley? Come see for yourself this Saturday when Alain Pinel Realtors will have ten Carmel Valley listings priced from $799,000 – $3,800,000 open from 1:00-4:00pm. I currently have several listings in Carmel Valley and am often speaking to prospective buyers who are looking in the area. Everyone has their specific reasons for wanting to be there and nowhere else on the Monterey Peninsula. After digesting their thoughts and having a few of my own, this is what I think Carmel Valley has to offer. I will elaborate on each point in future articles. If there are other great reasons to live in Carmel Valley I haven’t mentioned, I would love to hear your thoughts.
Come see the fabulous properties we have open. Call me for more information 831-320-6801 or see our ad in the Monterey Herald Friday Real Estate section. Pictured are two of the properties being held open on Saturday. In the much-desired Brookdale area just five minutes from Carmel is 6435 Brookdale Dr. listed at $1,195,000; 
Every year car enthusiasts gather on the Monterey Peninsula from all corners of our nation and beyond to attend a week of events, road rallies, parades, parties, fashion shows, racing, and car auctions. The week culminates on Sunday with the prestigious 57th Annual Concours d’Elegance in Pebble Beach. “Car people” look forward to this week with its events and parties all year. For the locals it is just great fun to partake of some of the events and enjoy the “Car Eye Candy” on the streets of Carmel and Pebble Beach! Antique cars polished to perfection, Ferraris, Corvettes, Porsches, Bentleys – 
you name it and its here! 
those famous “blue boxes.” The exciting presentation is free to spectators and benefits the Carmel Foundation that provides a wide variety of services to local seniors. To add to the fun the merchants up and down Ocean Avenue have decorated their show windows with displays that depict the car industry. Be sure to check out our Alain Pinel Realtors window display at the NW corner of Ocean and Dolores. It’s awesome! Grab your mate and your camera and come enjoy the day! For a complete listing of all events go to 
Visualize living atop a high mountain knoll overlooking breathtaking, magnificent mountain and valley views and feeling like you are on top of the world. A dream? Not so, it exists at 310 Country Club Heights in Carmel Valley. Come see for yourself!
For those who love the Monterey Peninsula but prefer to reside in warmer weather, Carmel Valley is a great choice. The Carmel River has created a lush valley between the majestic Santa Lucia Mountains just east of Carmel. Once the home of horse ranches, farms and rolling countryside, Carmel Valley now also boasts championship golf courses, world-class resorts, tennis clubs, wineries, superb restaurants, and million dollar homes.
twelve-mile stretch between Highway One and Carmel Valley Village. From this area you’re just a fifteen or twenty minute drive to the coast, yet you can still enjoy the warm sunshine, experience the dramatic mountain views, and take advantage of the Carmel Valley lifestyle. Golf is a popular avocation in Carmel Valley as well as in the coastal communities. For those that like golf course living there are a number of established communities where you can purchase a home or condominium on the golf course such as 
Carmel Valley Ranch and The Quail Lodge Resort and Golf Club. Two newer luxury developments complete with extravagant clubhouse facilities and private golf course (“Tehama,” Clint Eastwood’s vision of a golf community, and “The Preserve”) have parcels available for purchase for those who desire to build the home of their dreams. Carmel Valley is also horse country. As you drive east on Carmel Valley Road you will pass numerous horse ranches and stables. Garland Regional Park, a 4500-acre preserve, is filled with avid horseback riders taking advantage of miles of trails. This incredible park is also filled with hikers, photographers, wildflower enthusiasts, and artists capturing and enjoying nature. Carmel Valley is an outdoor paradise for everyone.
The Monterey Peninsula has captured the hearts of visitors and residents alike since the late 1800s. Located on the Central Coast at the southern tip of Monterey Bay, the Peninsula is not only a great historical site, it has become a desired destination for thousands wishing to experience the natural beauty of the area. Our real estate here spans the gamut from charming Carmel cottages, horse ranches in Carmel Valley, estates in Pebble Beach, 
Victorians in Pacific Grove, to beautiful Spanish Mediterranean homes in Monterey. Each community has its own unique character and history. Numerous special events throughout the year attract thousands of visitors to the Peninsula. Whether you love golf, antique car shows, Bach, art galleries, Food & Wine, the beach, hiking Point Lobos & Garland Park, race cars or celebrating the “Good Old Days” in Pacific Grove, there is something for everyone. Come visit or better than that, come live in the most beautiful place on earth. 
