The provenance of the name "Cachagua" (pronounced Ka SHOU wa) is lost to the sands of time. "However," according to the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District, "its use goes back to the 1850s with the spelling ‘Jassagua,' which likely has native Esselen or Spanish influences." Today, the region is known as a tightly knit and somewhat insular community. It's also the nexus of … [Read more...] about An Appellation Like No Other
Travel
Life on the Road
Photographer Marc Howard is Turning Pandemic Restrictions into Exceptional Adventures
In February, as the COVID-19 crisis restricted in-person activities and kept classrooms remote, Marc Howard spent time exploring Yosemite National Park. The Monterey photographer and his family were there for the annual Firefall event, when, in the right conditions, a cascading waterfall shimmers like molten lava. "If there's enough snowpack, and the water's melting, and … [Read more...] about Life on the Road
Scenery with a Cinematic Past
Hollywood’s Love Affair with Point Lobos
The swarms of tourists that clog Highway 1 every weekend to soak up the beauty of Point Lobos might believe that social media made them privy to a long-held Monterey Peninsula secret. Little do they know that Hollywood moviemakers discovered this gem and have been using it as a backdrop for more than a century. At last count, around 50 films have been shot on or around Point … [Read more...] about Scenery with a Cinematic Past
A Wild Adventure
One Man's Vision to Create the Monterey Zoo
Butch the elephant stands 10 feet tall and his long trunk—with its astounding dexterity—makes his height seem almost insignificant. His eyelashes are the length of an adult's hand, his demeanor that of a cat lounging in the sun. He eagerly, yet gently, shovels carrots into his impressive mouth while his best pal, Jasmine the zebra, watches. Butch is one of two elephants that … [Read more...] about A Wild Adventure
Artichokes by the Ocean
The Legacy of the Odello Ranch
While heading south on Highway 1 toward Big Sur, the iconic road sweeps past a vast expanse of fallow land straddling Highway 1 just beyond the Carmel River. To the east, contented black cows graze the grasses under the gaze of the Santa Lucia foothills. A handful of small, bright red cabins stand sentinel on the southern edge; a strange, flat truck-like vehicle sits idly … [Read more...] about Artichokes by the Ocean