Ocean View Blvd. in Pacific Grove & Goodie's Delicatessen

Many locals like to keep a close watch on high surf advisory alerts because that is a great time (if conditions are safe) to drive along Ocean View Blvd. in Pacific Grove (camera in hand) and watch the tremendous waves crash against the rocks (notice my header photo on the right is an Ocean View Blvd. wave).  Tomorrow is a high-surf advisory from 11 am -11 pm.  Even if you work nearby, drive on your lunch break and park on the street's side, then enjoy whatever you brown-bagged that day.  When a large set arrives in, snap a few pictures and roll down your window just to listen to the waves...people pay money to buy ocean wave sounds but if you're here, you practically have that sound in your backyard!  I remember during the rough adolescent years of middle school having my mom take me out to lunch this way.  She'd pick me up from school, with my favorite sandwich, and drive to Ocean View Blvd. where we'd watch the waves.  She'd encourage me though the difficult times and it was these little breaks away that encouraged me to keep going through the most challenging day.  Even as an adult, these moments of calm are helpful.  I am so thankful my mom did this...the tradition will continue.

This setting makes for a great date too.  Get sandwiches or make yourself a picnic, snap photographs together as you stop along the road to capture a wave, and hold hands.  There's just something wonderful about holding hands along the beach.

*Please do not go on the rocks during high surf warnings, or decide it's your day to swim around the ocean or convince yourself it's the day you'll take up tidepooling.  I have heard too many stories on ksbw news over the years of people being swept out to sea by an unexpected wave.  So, stay at a safe distance to watch.  

Goodie's Delicatessen, Pacific Grove:
If you hit snooze on the alarm and didn't get a chance to brown-bag a lunch, then consider the pure enjoyment of a sandwich from Goodie's.  If you're taking a drive along Ocean View you can stop here along the way.  If you'd like to avoid a wait, you can view their menu, location, and contact information by clicking here and call your order in.  I'm one of those people that has a "usual" just about everywhere because I get stuck on one delicious thing.  At Goodie's I always order the #14, without mustard, on one of their french rolls instead of the sourdough it normally arrives on (because, let's face it, it's all about the bread for me).  Something about the pickles they give you too...they're just my favorite pickles.