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They say the heart of any home is its kitchen. When family and friends gather for a meal, they tend to gravitate toward the aromas from a pot of marinara or the sizzle as duck breast hits the pan. Yet the true heart of any modern home may be a device, one that sets the ambience through lighting or music, perhaps a soothing backdrop playing on a screen. Smart technology continues to change the way we interact with our homes. However, the past always deserves a presence. One can find it in nostalgic textures, treasured antiques or bottles of fine wine gathering dust in the cellar. This annual lifestyle magazine takes its name from the Gilded Age concept of home as a haven in a heartless world. A poem by Haley Littlepage notes that “The heart of the home / is more than a room,” calling it an atmosphere. However, she added, “The heart of the home / is more than a mood.” It is also a habit and a discipline. The heart of the home is, therefore, many things. But it is what we consider one of the bests in life—relaxing, sharing a bottle of wine with friends and more. Haven celebrates those things that are not of the heartless world. We hope you enjoy it. -Dave Faries DANIEL DREIFUSS Inside Contents 14 Designing with antiques 18 Cellar-worthy local wines 24 The man behind boutique hotels 28 A programmable home 32 From farm to spa Founder & CEO Bradley Zeve Publisher Erik Cushman Project Editor Dave Faries Editor Sara Rubin Associate Editor Erik Chalhoub Art Director/Production Manager Karen Loutzenheiser Contributing Writers and Copy Editors Paul Fried, Ava Homa, Celia Jiménez, Pam Marino, Agata Pope˛da, Katie Rodriguez, David Schmalz Digital Producer Sloan Campi Graphic Designers Alexis Estrada, Lani Headley, Kevin Jewell Advertising Keith Bruecker, Diane Glim, George Kassal Business Development Director Keely Richter Photographers Daniel Dreifuss (except where noted) Cover Photo by Mary E. Nichols. The living room of the Charles Hotel Pacific Grove, where innkeepers lay out a spread each afternoon for guests. The Best of Monterey Bay® is published by Milestone Communications, Inc., a California corporation. The entire contents are copyright 2025. No portion may be reproduced. 831394-5656. www.montereycountynow.com. Dave Sidener, cellar master at the Sardine Factory. 12 THE BEST OF MONTEREY BAY ® HAVEN 2025-2026 Subscribeto the newsletter: montereycountynow.com/subscribe Go to montereycountynow.com Discover Monterey County Now NEWS • ARTS ENTERTAINMENT FOOD • DRINK CALENDAR Fresh Local News Served Daily MCNOW_1-3v_haven25_kpr.indd 1 7/23/25 1:11 PM
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In an era of disposable minimalism, a growing number of people are drawn to handcrafted, imperfect pieces, remnants from a time when craftsmanship outweighed speed and beauty was meant to last. For Cassandra Mendonca, a Carmel Valley designer with 35 years of experience, decorating is a form of storytelling. Her clients’ spaces are layered, unexpected and alive. And for her, nothing anchors a home like a well-chosen antique. “Antiques don’t belong only to traditional settings,” Mendonca says. “They belong wherever depth is needed.” From mountain-modern to minimalist lofts that she’s designed in both Colorado and California, she weaves in history without disrupting harmony. Her secret? Many, but one she shares is functional contrast. “A metal and glass Pottery Barn table can feel cold,” she explains. “But place a wooden bowl on it, especially something hand-carved, and suddenly there’s warmth and shadow.” Her emphasis on thoughtful selections is echoed by Chip Wittpenn, an antiques dealer in Carmel. “Antiques have stood the test of time because of the care invested in both making them and preserving them,” he says. “A reputable dealer will help you spot real treasures and avoid clever fakes.” A tip he shares: Check for Phillips-head screws; those came after the 1930s. As for pottery, look for maker’s marks. Ask questions. But how can a buyer decide when browsing a place like the Cannery Row Antique Mall in Monterey, where dealers rotate through small booths and may not be present to answer questions? Mendonca offers insights into distinguishing genuine antiques from reproductions. “Look beyond the surface,” she says, pointing out the hand-cut dovetail joints in a century-old dresser. “These joints are a sign of true craftsmanship. Modern pieces often rely on glue and staples. You’ll never find those in a real antique.” She emphasizes the importance of materials. “Real antiques are often made from solid woods like mahogany, maple, cherry and walnut. You can feel the difference; the weight, the grain.” Picking up a piece of antique glass, she notes the subtle ripples and bubbles that mark it as hand-blown. “Imperfections like these are signatures of authenticity.” What sets Mendonca apart is her refusal to compromise on quality. She urges clients to lift, flip and scrutinize 14 THE BEST OF MONTEREY BAY ® HAVEN 2025-2026 Timeless Design DESIGNERS TURN TO ANTIQUES TO ANCHOR THE MODERN INTERIOR. By Ava Homa DANIEL DREIFUSS Carmel Valley designer Cassandra Mendonca looks carefully through antique shops. Even humble items can elevate design.
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every piece. “Check the back. The underside. The joints. You want solid wood, not particleboard. Antique glass should be thin and irregular. Only one is history,” she says. Her aesthetic celebrates what she calls intentional dissonance. A cast iron cogwheel becomes a table. Old shutters frame a pantry. As she points out, “It doesn’t need to be a museum piece, just something that belongs to your life and makes your home uniquely yours.” That emotional draw is central for Pauline Allen, a Pebble Beach landscape designer with four decades of experience. “An antique piece can transport you,” she says. “Sometimes I see a cup in a shop and remember my grandmother serving tea in one just like it. That’s the kind of beauty you don’t forget.” But Allen is quick to clarify that sentiment alone isn’t enough. “I wouldn’t recommend an antique to a client just for the value. It has to have an emotional, historical or family connection. Just because I find something absolutely gorgeous doesn’t mean my client will. That’s not how design works.” She speaks candidly about her own evolution. “I wasn’t raised with antiques in Melbourne, Australia. There was nothing in my childhood home I would have wanted to inherit. But after I studied design at UCLA, I became much more interested, especially because I started to understand the history behind furniture.” Los Angeles, she admits, didn’t appeal to her at first. “But when I started to look more closely, especially at neighborhoods from the 1930s and ’40s, I began to see beauty I’d completely missed. Education opened my eyes.” That kind of awareness is essential to Allen’s design process. “I always try to learn about my clients’ histories, not just impose my own taste. A piece has to work for the people who live with it.” Allen believes that beauty should never be arbitrary: “Every object must earn its place in your space. Even sentiment must have style.” Both Mendonca and Allen insist on restraint. With the vast array of tchotchkes available, it’s easy to confuse clutter with character. Their homes are about texture and intentionality. “If you walk into an antique shop without purpose,” Mendonca warns, “you may walk out with regret. It’s easy to fall in love with the wrong thing when you’re under pressure.” In the hands of these experts, antiques invite memory, meaning, and a richer relationship with the spaces we inhabit. Luxury isn’t always new. Sometimes, it’s what endures. 16 THE BEST OF MONTEREY BAY ® HAVEN 2025-2026 831-920-2850 Info@classickitchens.us 495 Shasta St. Sand City, CA 93955 ClassicKitchenAndDesign_1-2h_Haven2025_KB.indd 1 7/24/25 11:55 AM
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To locate centerpiece Monterey County wines for a cellar, one simply has to look for a guy named Gary. Gary Pisoni and Gary Franscioni planted vineyards and started family labels—Pisoni Estate and Roar, respectively. Grapes from their vineyards are prized by winemakers in more celebrated regions, as well as local rising stars. Their own wines are stellar. The 2019 Pisoni Estate Pinot Noir, for example, was awarded 97 points by Wine Spectator critic Jeb Dunnuck. Its 2021 Chardonnay under Pisoni’s Lucia label picked up Top 100 Wine of the Year honors from the same publication. “There’s a third Gary—Gary Caraccioli,” adds Dave Sidener, awardwinning cellar master for Monterey’s legendary restaurant Sardine Factory, which was host to the first Master Sommelier examination held in the U.S. Caraccioli Cellars’ 2017 Brut Rosé was named America’s best sparkling wine in 2023 at the Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships. The same honor was accorded the 2016 Blanc de Blanc the year before—two in a string of global awards for the winery. Sampling Caraccioli’s wines prompted Tom Stevenson of The New Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia and a CSWWC judge to say, “Certainly these cuvées demonstrate a degree of class rarely seen in California sparkling wines.” And, Sidener adds, while “his primary wine is sparkling, he also does a Chardonnay and Pinot [Noir] that are world class.” Those building wine collections are naturally drawn to Old World labels—the great chateaus of France or the storied vineyards of Portugal’s Douro Valley—as well as the well-branded regions of the U.S., such as Napa and Sonoma. 18 THE BEST OF MONTEREY BAY ® HAVEN 2025-2026 Beyond the Obvious CELLAR-WORTHY WINES FROM MONTEREY COUNTY BELONG IN A COLLECTION, AND ARE NOT HARD TO FIND. By Dave Faries DANIEL DREIFUSS NIC COURY Pisoni, Roar, Caraccioli and specific vineyards such as Marinus or Gary’s are some of the names to look for when selecting wines from Monterey County.
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“You want labels people recognize,” explains Jeffrey Birkemeier of Amapola Kitchen & Wine Merchant in Salinas. “But some wine lists are ego-driven. It’s a balancing act.” There is value, he adds, in revealing for friends a bottle from Pisoni, Roar or other deserving wines from less-traveled regions. Many of these are equal to the more revered labels, although for visitors to a region the standouts may not be readily apparent. Sommeliers say that for less familiar wine regions such as Monterey County, it is important to learn and look for key words. Escolle Vineyard is a Caraccioli property. But I. Brand & Family selects its grapes for still wines. “Ian Brand’s Escolle Chardonnay will match up with anybody,” Sidener observes. “It’s Old-World style.” Soberanes, Gary’s, Rosella’s, Pisoni— these are vineyards associated with Pisoni and Roar. Chalone is the oldest recognized AVA in Monterey County and wines from the vineyards are highly regarded. “For Cabernet, the most famous vineyard is Marinus from Bernardus,” Sidener notes. Unfortunately, the winery put the plot up for sale in 2025. But the vintage currently on the shelves is from 2018. So, he adds, “There are a few vintages to go through.” Then there are boutique growers, such as Griva Vineyard, selling grapes that attract makers of fine wines. DANIEL DREIFUSS Dave Sidener, cellar master at the celebrated destination Sardine Factory, with part of the restaurant’s selection. Sidener stocks several local vintages. 20 THE BEST OF MONTEREY BAY ® HAVEN 2025-2026 Be the first to know when tickets launch - join our newsletter at bigs BIG SUR FOOD & WINE FEST THURSDAY-SATURDAY | NOVEMBER 6-8, 20 SATURDAY, AUGUST 19, 2023 • 4–7PM CARMEL, CALIFORNIA TICKETS $75 • THEBARNYARD.COM/EVENTS www.bigsurfoodandwine.org M/barnyardshoppingvillage Benefitting The Big Sur Food & Wine Foundation, a non-profit Charitable Trust SATURDAY, AUGUST 19, 2023 • 4–7PM CARMEL, CALIFORNIA TICKETS $75 • THEBARNYARD.COM/EVENTS Benefitting The Big Sur Food & Wine Foundation, a non-profit Charitable Trust SATURDAY, AUGUST 19, 2023 • 4–7PM CARMEL, CALIFORNIA TICKETS $75 • THEBARNYARD.COM/EVENTS tting The Big Sur Food & Wine Foundation, a non-profit Charitable Trust ~ Save The Date ~ Big Sur Food & Wine Festival November 6–November 8, 2025 www.bigsurfoodandwine.org For tickets please visit: thebarnyard.com/events SATURDAY, AUGUST 16, 2025 4–7pm Big Sur Food & Wine Presents The 27th Annual FERRARI EVENT at The Barnyard
Eric Ewers, wine director at Grasing’s, one of Carmel’s most notable restaurants and winner of Wine Spectator Grand Awards in 2024 and 2025, stocks Bernardus Sauvignon Blanc sourced from Griva, among other wines from area wineries or those using Monterey County grapes. “Most of Monterey County’s fruit is exported,” Sidener points out. “Napa will buy a ton of Monterey fruit. As long as they keep it at 24.9 percent [of the blend], they don’t have to tell you.” Birkemeier agrees that Pisoni, Roar and Caraccioli belong in personal wine cellars. But Monterey County (and other regions beyond Napa and Sonoma) attract a number of younger winemakers. Startup labels must get wines to the shelves in order to get some income flowing, so collectors looking for cellarworthy bottles may be reasonably leery of these. However, some of the younger crop have an exceptional understanding of terroir and are highly skilled. “I would think I. Brand & Family would be a place to start,” Birkemeier says, referring to one of Ian Brand’s labels, which also includes a crowdpleasing Albariño from his La Marea line. San Francisco Chronicle deemed Brand the state’s Winemaker of the Year in 2018, when he began to assert his understanding of micro-climates and the grape varieties best suited for those small tracks, urging growers to swap out profitable grapes like Pinot Noir. There is a solid tier of wines from this younger generation that, like Brand has, are on the verge of similar recognition. Birkemeier suggests checking into Albatross Ridge and Pelio Estate. He laments that winemaker Junior Banuelas stepped away from the art, along with his fledgling Sling & Stone label (though there are still bottles around). He adds that Odonata produces a nice Malbec. Sidener tags on to the list a small but very promising label, Swirling Hawk. “There are other guys,” Sidener says, returning to established wineries, specifically Morgan’s consistently impressive Double L Vineyard and the work of Bill Parsons at Parsonage. “It’s definitely a little gem,” he says. “The Syrah holds up well.” There is also Galante, known for big, broad-shouldered reds that can be—and should be—cellared for a decade or more to expose their fineries. “But,” Birkemeier concludes, “if I’m looking for blue chip wines, it’s Pisoni, Roar and Caraccioli.” 22 THE BEST OF MONTEREY BAY ® HAVEN 2025-2026 Where Style & Inclusivity create unforgettable experiences Where Style & Inclusivity create unforgettable experiences (831) 717-8692 581 Pine Ave, Pacific Grove, CA, 93950 thecharlespacificgrove.com (707) 257-0476 1556 Polk St Napa, CA 94559 thecharlesnapavalley.com Charles_1-2h_Haven2025_DG.indd 1 7/22/25 4:57 PM
Celebrated designer Charles Gruwell has spent decades designing for high-end hotels, restaurants and homes in places like San Francisco, Las Vegas and Los Angeles, as well as locally in Carmel, Pebble Beach and Monterey. Now he’s come home, to the town he grew up in, to design for himself at his own recently opened boutique hotel, The Charles Pacific Grove. “The Monterey Peninsula is probably the most beautiful place in the world, I’ve known that all my life—I’ve traveled all over the world—and coming back here I know we live in a paradise,” Gruwell says. He returned to Pacific Grove from Los Angeles several years ago while continuing his busy design business. His friends and partners in The Charles, Don and Jay Desai, approached him about rebranding the bed and breakfast located in a former Victorian home and gave him free reign to design it. “‘This is your hometown and you should design this hotel just the way you want,’” Gruwell remembers Don Desai telling him. “I purposely wanted to have a rich, regal feeling to it, so I’ve used a rich color palette and I purposely got black carpet with cognac and caramel accents.” Gruwell looked for a rich brocade fabric with a black background and found a sumptuous one featuring deep burgundy, gold and shades of green. The result is an inviting, comfortable space that’s masculine yet elegant. “It feels like you’re in a private club,” Gruwell says. “It’s all based in classical design.” “An artfully designed inclusive inn” is the tagline for The Charles, because Gruwell and the Desais wanted to fill a void they saw in the hospitality industry, an LGBTQ+ hotel open to all. “There are gay hotels but there’s really no established gay-friendly hotels that are open to everybody, open to the mainstream, the street traveler, the LGBT crowd,” Gruwell says. “We merged style and elegance into inclusion.” The hotel, which is also dogfriendly, is already getting positive reviews since opening in June. After 46 years in the business, Gruwell, 73, is not ready for retirement. Next up is another partnership with the Desais, The Charles Napa, another Victorian-home-turned-inn that they will be renovating and opening in the future. Gruwell is also redesigning Carmel’s iconic Cypress Inn, once co-owned by the late Doris Day and Denny LeVett, who still owns it. The main living room and lobby are expected to be completed by December 2025, with hotel rooms and corridors completed by the end of 24 THE BEST OF MONTEREY BAY ® HAVEN 2025-2026 Inn Style AFTER DECADES OF DECORATING HIGH-END BOUTIQUE HOTELS, CHARLES GRUWELL IS DESIGNING HIS OWN. By Pam Marino Top: The Charles Pacific Grove living room features rich colors that give it a luxurious, yet comfortable, feel. Below: Gruwell with his partners, Don and Jay Desai at The Charles. MARY E. NICHOLS MARY E. NICHOLS
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2026. “It’s going to be very Spanish, inspired by Moroccan and Moorish influences, and it’s going to give this old grande dame of the Cypress a new lease on life,” he says. One of Gruwell’s favorite local hotel projects was restoring Tradewinds Carmel in 2004. “We completely restored its Japanese and Asian influences. It’s a beautiful property in Carmel that takes you to another place,” he says. He lists the Huntington Hotel on Nob Hill in San Francisco as his favorite project overall. “It was a very classical hotel that needed a major facelift, and I gave it to it. I gave it the grandeur that once was there,” says Gruwell. He calls the project “monumental,” leading to his first of many appearances in Architectural Digest. Gruwell’s process of working with clients includes learning their desires for the outcome of the project. “They want a log cabin in Aspen or they want a beach bungalow, a residence on the ocean that is all about the beach and the sky and the trees around them— you need to find out where their house is and what they want,” he says. Gruwell recommends interviewing three designers to assess if there’s a match in both energy and communication before starting a project. “It’s all about communication. They have to communicate to me, I have to communicate back to them. It’s a whole interplay of a dance of asking questions and getting answers and creating this and getting results,” he says. The Charles Pacific Grove is located at 581 Pine Ave., Pacific Grove. 717-8692, thecharlespacificgrove.com. At the Stilwell Hotel in downtown Carmel, Gruwell created a sleek, serene, modern look for the rooms. ROBERT MILLER 26 THE BEST OF MONTEREY BAY ® HAVEN 2025-2026 2014–2024 700 Cannery Row, 2nd Floor 831.646.5446 Sun-Thurs 12noon-6pm Fri & Sat 12noon-7pm www.atasteofmonterey.com 1315 Pacific Ave (831)515-7018 GOLDEN BLISS Fine Jewelry www.supersilver.com Super S I L V E R Now offering permanent bracelets! Santa Cruz - Downtown (831)460-9696 Capitola Mall (831)477-1932 Capitola Village (831)462-9696 Old Town Sacramento (916)443-2801 San Luis Obispo (805)784-0462 SuperSilver_1-6v_Haven25_kb.indd 1 7/24/25 11:37
“The industry has grown.” In stating the obvious, Natalie Gibson is not truly stating the obvious. The scope of home automation has indeed expanded. Yet current applications and those coming in the near future exceed what is generally expected by the public. Gibson owns Axiom Home Tech in Monterey, working with designers and homeowners to integrate theater, distributed audio, lighting and more. She says that when building a home, these installations should be the norm, and should also be included as part of any redesign. Home theater and audio may seem relatively common, though developments continue. “The really exciting thing is automated lighting and shades,” Gibson observes. “It’s still somewhat cutting edge.” Both lighting and shades can follow a daily schedule. The unit “knows” its location and time of day. Axiom works with Lutron + Ketra, a premier automated lighting line (as well as others). The system can also be controlled through discrete wall plates or remotely. They can be programmed for unexpected events—illuminating the hall, stairs and kitchen for a midnight snack at the touch of a screen, for example. Yet there is more to automated lighting than convenience. Systems can dim or brighten, change the quality and tone of light to suit the time of day and more. Gibson says comfort and ambience are of equal importance. “Your shades are going down and evening chill lights are coming on,” she adds. “These events happen on their own.” Meanwhile, home audio companies have not slowed the pace of change. Just last year, Focal released the Diva Utopia, the brand’s first-ever wireless active speaker system. It combined high-end floor standing loudspeakers with built-in amplification and a multitude of wired and wireless connections. The company is now out with a successor, the Diva Mezza Utopia system. Mezza Utopia works precisely the same as the Diva Utopia. It’s designed for audiophiles with deep pockets who want a versatile plug-and-play-ready system without the hassle of dealing with separate components. The main difference between the Diva Utopia and the Mezza Utopia is size and power. Several companies now produce invisible speakers. These sit in the wall or ceiling, without noticeable speaker grills. “True audiophiles may hear the difference, but for everyday listening the sound quality is comparable,” Gibson says. “The aesthetics are so important.” The Italian audio company Sonus 28 THE BEST OF MONTEREY BAY ® HAVEN 2025-2026 Auto Home THE SMART HOME INCLUDES AUDIO AND THEATER, BUT ALSO GOES WELL BEYOND. By Paul Fried Home lighting (above) and shade (page 30) systems can follow the course of any day, automatically making adjustments without the need for input. COURTESY AXIOM
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Faber turns visible speakers into works of art, without sacrificing the soundscape. The systems are elegant and responsive. For example, the Suprema 2.1 system offers two main speaker columns, a subwoofer, and an electronic crossover. Its sound is as if you were present when the music was first made. But the design elements are equally astounding, starting with the ancient lute-like look for the speaker columns, echoing the Guarneri violins of the 17th and 18th centuries. The subwoofers have a Stradivari-like elliptical design, which allows for memorable low-end responsiveness and stunning natural beauty. In 2024, Bose—perhaps the biggest name in audio—acquired McIntosh Group, of which Sonus Faber is a part. Lila Snyder, CEO of Bose, says that the new powerhouse is intent upon “pushing the boundaries of audio innovation to bring customers experiences they’ve never heard before.” No longer is installation intrusive. Sound engineers can work with designers to assess the number of speakers needed and their proper locations. Instead of listening in person, engineers measure the sound through microphones at different locations. A computer program then calibrates the system according to the sound-absorbing quality of materials in the room, the location of furniture and so on. This can be extended to outdoor settings. Landscape lighting can also serve as invisible speakers. “You can’t tell where the music is coming from,” Gibson says. Home audio and home theaters are for those who want such features. Other aspects of the smart home are also wants more than needs, such as televisions that transform into wall mirrors when switched off. For Gibson, automated lighting and shades are more necessary. Every home has both. The home tech industry has indeed grown. And, she adds, “who knows where the industry is going next?” COURTESY AXIOM 30 THE BEST OF MONTEREY BAY ® HAVEN 2025-2026
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Decades ago, Bernardus Lodge’s culinary team began making the garden the focal point, from which creativity, inspiration and ideas could emanate across the grounds of the property. The garden is a living, breathing force, full of herbs like lemon verbena, pineapple sage and mint; hedges upon hedges of lavender and rosemary are all pollinated by Italian honeybees on the property—180,000 of them. On a warm July day, these scents, most prominently the lavender plants and rose bushes, are what coat the senses as one walks across the grounds and enters the spa. They form the aromatic foundation that greets guests in the reception area, says Gina Bolton, Bernardus Spa’s director who has been with the resort for 20 years. As with any spa, these scents are meant to calm the nervous system as they wash over one’s body, but at Bernardus, it’s the origins of these aromas and where the ingredients come from that truly set it apart. “Carmel Valley is beautiful,” Bolton says. “To maintain that natural, rustic, very symbiotic relationship with the land, we want the best ingredients sourced in the best location, treating [the land] with respect and enjoying the output of that art.” Part of a good spa treatment too is a deep sense of calm in knowing that what’s being massaged into your skin comes from a good place, mostly organic and backed by a commitment to quality that has been part of Bernardus Lodge’s philosophy since the beginning. “It’s a custom combination,” says Bolton, speaking of the spa’s signature scents and how they interact with the senses. “We have over 3,000 lavender plants, and they’re just starting to bloom. What’s happening outside is the base for what you smell here. After that, it’s the lavender-mint lotion, the eucalyptus body wash, and the people walking out coated head to toe, leaving a glitter trail of smells.” The ingredients used in spa treatments shift with the seasons, Bolton adds. Fall often features smoked sandalwood, orange bergamot and honey harvested on the property. Winter brings mint, eucalyptus and chamomile, while summer highlights lemon—both the herb (lemon verbena) and the fruit— alongside rosemary and pineapple sage. “Oftentimes, the mix of herbs we’re smelling in the garden inspires what we create for treatments at the spa,” Bolton says. It’s a pick-and-choose-your-own adventure kind of spa experience— guests might opt for the Grapefruit Glow massage during summer months, intended to utilize the citrus scents to brighten 32 THE BEST OF MONTEREY BAY ® HAVEN 2025-2026 Scents of Place THESE CARMEL VALLEY SPAS ARE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING AN EXPERIENCE USING LOCAL INGREDIENTS. By Katie Rodriguez DANIEL DREIFUSS The seasons influence the products and treatments offered at Bernardus Spa. In summer months: lavender (photo p. 34), grapefruit, pineapple sage and lemon balm.
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and bring one out of stress and fatigue. The spa’s most popular treatment is their “Bernardus Essential,” where guests can blend their own fragrances depending on the season, and customize depending on if they want to include a CBD treatment, a hot stone component, cupping or Reiki, to name a few options. Bernardus is not alone in its commitment to sourcing spa ingredients locally. Just a few minutes down the road, past rolling hills of their own pinot noir vines, is Spa Aiyana at Carmel Valley Ranch. One of its most popular treatments is the “Bee Beautiful,” which uses honey from the on-site bee aviary—visible on the drive to the spa—to create body butters and honey-aloe purifying masks. The spa also sources lavender from its own property, producing a potent lavender oil used in lotions, dehumidifiers and across a variety of treatments (including “Bee Beautiful”). Their shea body butter wrap drenches the skin in jojoba and lavender oils before finishing with the spa’s signature whipped shea and lavender body butter; another massage includes a warm steam-infused lavender poultice and custom-made oil blends. According to the spa’s therapists, locally-sourced ingredients are one of the main reasons people select Spa Aiyana. And hospitality consultant Stacy Bayless of Curate Kindness agrees. Spa guests are increasingly seeking connections to the place through local ingredients. She writes that “guests can literally feel the essence of the place through the products used in their treatments.” Spas have responded with a local, seasonal, sustainable ethic and a more natural, holistic approach to treatments. And that is evident in Carmel Valley. DANIEL DREIFUSS 34 THE BEST OF MONTEREY BAY ® HAVEN 2025-2026 Luxury yacht Private charter Book your specialty charter today! Sunset Champagne Sanctuary cruiSeS 831.917.1042 SanctuaryCruises.com Private charters hold up to 6 passengers sanctuary-cruises_1-2h_haven24_kb.indd 1 8/1/24 1:58 PM
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