Eat Your Way through History at the Steinbeck House in Salinas, CA

113 years ago the Pulitzer-Prize winner, John Steinbeck was born in the front room of a gorgeous 1897 Queen Anne Victorian home that still stands in downtown Salinas today.
The Steinbeck House is not only one of Salinas' historic landmarks but it's also a noteworthy restaurant for delectable lunches and teas. It is the perfect addition to any trek into Steinbeck Country especially since it is just a block down the street from the National Steinbeck Center. What's really amazing about this picturesque three-story Victorian home is that it is entirely run by volunteers, except for one hard-working chef.
In 1974 a group of eight women, known as the Valley Guild, purchased the home and converted it into a working restaurant as a past-time hobby to showcase their husband's produce from nearby fields. Today over 80 cheery volunteers continue to run the restaurant and keep the home in its pristine condition. The Valley Guild also operates the quaint gift shop in the basement which holds a few of John Steinbeck's furniture pieces and sells Steinbeck's books, cookbooks, tea pots and more.

The shingled Victorian home is complete with delicate trimmings, a glass entry door, manicured gardens and plenty of windows. As I walked up the steps towards the entrance I could easily imagine myself relaxing on the comfy porch bench reading "Travels with Charley."
Once I entered I felt as though I had stepped back into the early 1900's. The interior was surrounded with decorative wallpaper, Victorian light fixtures and a detailed wooden staircase. A friendly waitress adorned in Victorian-era attire, soon sat us down in the Parlor Room overlooking Central and Stone streets.

Soon after she arrived with our beverages (you can't go wrong with the raspberry Steinbeck Tea) and a plentiful basket of fresh warm bread. This wasn't your average complimentary bread; the warm buttery biscuits were sprinkled with a dash of rosemary and oregano. After the first scrumptious bite I knew I wasn't going to have just one.
Trying hard to resist my third piece of bread I finally took a look at the menu. The dishes change weekly with two entrée specials, four sandwich selections and a variety of tempting desserts. Today's offerings included dishes like chicken bundles, a Cobb salad, and a turkey wrap. I opted for the chicken apple brie sandwich and a side of salad.

In almost no time our entrees arrived piping hot from the kitchen. The fresh greens on my side salad looked like they had just been plucked from one of the nearby fields and the creamy Italian dressing was the perfect accompaniment!
My sophisticated adult grilled cheese glistened as it was laid down before me. The buttery slices of toasted bread were full of juicy chicken breast, crisp apple slices and a hefty amount of gooey brie cheese, delish! I took a peek at the dessert menu which included crème brulee and chocolate cheesecake and a frozen chocolate charlotte but unfortunately had to resist.
The prices are very reasonable at around $12 for an enjoyable sit-down lunch.
Complete tours of Steinbeck's boyhood home are available in the summer months and by special request. I for one would love to come back and see Steinbeck's room where he dreamt up stories like "The Red Pony" and "Tortilla Flat."

The Steinbeck House is open Tuesday-Saturday from 11:30am-2pm. The restaurant is also open for various special events like their Saturday Teas.

On a Mission to Soledad: Mission Nuestra Senora de la Soledad

Mission Nuestra Senora de la Soledad (or Soledad Mission for short) is just one of the three missions in Monterey County and the newest; that is if you think 1791 is new.

Named after "Our Lady of Solitude" the Soledad Mission is the 13th of the 21 California Missions and like many of its "sister" properties it has quite the view! Nestled in the Salinas Valley the mission is surrounded by lush lettuce fields, countless rows of vineyards and epic views of sunny hillsides.
The mission is right off of Highway 101 making it the perfect pit stop to include on your road trip to Monterey or during a River Road Wine Trail excursion.

At first glance the mission doesn't look like much, but once you step out of the car and onto the property you can see why the padres set up shop at this location. The natural beauty and solitude make for a great place of worship and the grounds are pristine! Rose bushes, palm trees and manicured gardens frame the simple structure rooted in California's history.

The current chapel is actually a recreation of the original since the first structure was destroyed in three separate floods. Whether you are religious or not the chapel is sure to give you goose bumps. The interior is intimate with no more than 20 rows of pews; rustic wooden beams protrude from the thick white adobe walls and "Our Lady of Sorrows" sits high above the modest alter.

A quaint gift shop sits right outside of the chapel full of boutique crosses, rosaries and other religious items. Through the gift shop you enter the museum which walks you through the different eras of the mission, including the native, mission and rancho periods.

Out back you will find the ruins of the mission which is where the initial church stood. You can still see remnants of the original walls as well as the marked graves of Governor Arrillaga and Father Ibanez dating back to the late 1700s.

Soledad Mission's grounds are open 10am-4pm, daily. For more information visit the official website.