GHOSTLY GETAWAYS OF MONTEREY COUNTY
09-14-2011
|
GHOSTLY GETAWAYS: FROM LANDMARK INNS TO TOP-SHELF RESTAURANTS,
THE LORE AND LURE OF MONTEREY COUNTY'S PHANTOMS OF THE PAST ARE A SCREAM
|
|
MONTEREY COUNTY, CALIF. - From the sacred grounds of Big Sur to the swashbuckling seaport of Monterey Bay, this county's havens harbor a litany of irresistible ghost stories. Early on, this region hosted a rugged mix of Native Americans, seafaring Portuguese, Chinese fishermen, Russian otter hunters, Old World Italians, Wild West outlaws, Mexican armies and Spanish vaqueros. The capital of Alta California boasted gems of land and sea, a bounty for the brave who endured a long and tumultuous history rife with shootouts, shipwrecks and sword-wielding Spaniards. Today, visitors can tap into a variety of haunted sites filled with an abundance of lore and lure - a paranormal playground of sorts.
RESTAURANT 1833 (STOKES ADOBE)/MONTEREY
LORE - This classic tile-roofed adobe in Old Monterey is flush with paranormal activity. Built in 1833, the meandering two-story building was purchased in 1834 by English sailor James Stokes, who later became Mayor. A happy ghost named Hattie Gragg lived in the adobe as well, making it the town's social spot. She is regularly reported as an elderly woman in an ankle-length skirt causing flashing lights, mysteriously salting wineglasses and slamming doors in the upstairs bedroom where she died in 1948. During the renovation of the new restaurant in 2010, workers adopted a strict buddy system at night.
LURE - Summer/2011, Restaurant 1833 debuts under new ownership with a chic redux. The 164-seat restaurant takes a twist on its past with rare antique lighting fixtures, period floor lamps, lounge-friendly furniture and seven dining rooms including Hattie's Room - complete with glowing salt crystals in a boudoir-type setting - to the Library, a colonial masterpiece sporting dark wood accents. Mixology is king here, with a sexy entrance bar/lounge taking on an apothecary backdrop of antique lab bottles and custom botanicals. The menu reflects a hyper-local focus with a farm-to-table emphasis. www.restaurant1833.com.
MONTEREY HOTEL
LORE - Paranormal seems to be normal at this vintage 1904 building where a ghost, affectionately called Fred by the staff, and other spirits romp regularly. The turn-of-the-century hotel's sculpted façade with ornate moldings, bay windows and amazing architectural features is home to an image of a man dressed in Edwardian clothing with a high hat, known to be spotted in the mirror facing the front desk. Most amazing is his presence in room 217, where guests and ghost hunters have heard a male voice talking about 75 stairs. Televisions and radios pop, the digits 7 and 5 appear randomly and apparitions are commonplace. Also on site is a ghost image of a girl about 13 years old sitting on the hotel staircase.
LURE - Today, the 40-room Monterey Hotel is an ideal locale smack on the Path of History Walking Tour in Old Monterey. Renovations in 1982 and 1996 delivered hand-carved stair railings, redwood ceilings and a meticulous restoration recreating the property's original Euro
[Back to Press Releases Main]
| | | |
