I was absolutely elated when my "Cottages by the Sea" book arrived yesterday. If you recall, on our recent trip to California, I fell in love with Carmel. I've not been able to get it off my mind, so I ordered a memento. The history of Carmel is equally as intriguing as the architecture.

In the early 1900s Carmel became a haven for writers, poets, and artists. With this crew came the wonderful cottages. I'm guessing it was a fun place to live.

"Sunwiseturn" (has a twin named "Our House")

"Hansel" (British illustrations influenced design)

"Windemere Cottage" (local craftsmen maintain the rolled shake roof)

"Kuster/Meyer House"

"Bark House" (made completely of bark)

Of course these are now multi-million dollar homes, but you better believe this is where I'll be house shopping when we win the lotto. Linda Leigh Paul best described it: "Carmel is one of life's great enchantments. The eucalyptus-jasmine air is an invitation to take a walk down a cat-path to the beach and into a flow of long, untroubled days punctuated by soft, memorable nights."

Don't you want to visit?