Category Archives: Community Events

Carmel Lifestyle, Community Events, Holidays

All I Want for Christmas . . is the Smuin Christmas Ballet

December 9, 2016 Susan Clark

The 2016 Smuin Christmas Ballet in Carmel-by-the-Sea

ballet-in-flight — The Smuin Dancers seem to fly through the air!

For me the beginning of the holidays starts with my husband and I going to the Smuin Ballet at the Sunset Center every year.

Susan Clark and hubby, Allan Freidson — The Sunset Center deck out for Christmas

Now previously my husband had never gone to a ballet and if I had approached him and said, “Let’s go to the ballet,” he would have looked at me like I was crazy and gone back to watching the football game. I think it was about 5 years ago when I heard about the Smuin Ballet coming to town with a special Christmas program and I knew I would need to be a little cagey to get my hubby to come along.

I gave him a call and said I’d like for him to go to a dance with me. The other end of the phone was silent and then I followed it up with, “Remember it’s my birthday!”. He said OK (how could he refuse on my birthday!) and I think I told him the morning of that we were actually going to go watch other people dance. Long story short, he actually really liked it. Particularly, Act 2.

ACT I Classical Christmas is what most of us think of as ballet. However ACT 2 Cool Christmas is full of fun acts with wonderful dance numbers including some jazz and tap and Irish dancing thrown in.

One really fun and favorite dance number is to “Santa Baby” sung to the Eartha Kitt recording. The singer drags a long boa onto the stage and she is offered all kinds of worldly goods as the song lyrics indicate. In honor of the boa – everyone was asked to wear a boa to the performance. Thus, the red boa below gracing my neck!

I have to admit though, my very favorite is the Christmas in New Orleans number seen below. It’s just so clever and I love the music by Louis Armstrong.

The grand finale is White Christmas with snow drifting down onto the stage and into the audience and the dancers jubilantly dancing and playing in the snow.

So that’s it — my holiday season has started! Now we’ve picked out our Christmas tree . . .

Picking out the Noble Fir Christmas tree in Carmel. — Picking out the Noble Fir Christmas tree in Carmel (tree to my right was the winner)!

and trimmed it. This was a team effort.

Susan trimming tree - the truth is she did the "heavy lifting" on the trimming. — Susan trimming tree – the truth is she did the “heavy lifting” on the trimming.

And voila!

Finished tree. I decided this year to go with less is more. The tree itself was so beautiful I went easy on the ornaments.

And so our holiday season has started. I have decided not to be in a frenzy this year. I want to sit back and enjoy the holiday season by getting together with good friends, enjoying being with my wonderful husband, enjoying all the decorations, singing carols, getting in touch with my spiritual side, and just enjoy being.

All my best holiday wishes to you to experience love, joy, peace, happiness, and good health in this holiday season. Enjoy your friends and family and hold them close. All my best!

Carmel Lifestyle, Community Events

Carmel’s Favorite Ex-Mayor Rides Again! ~ Carmel-by-the-Sea Centennial Parade

October 30, 2016 Susan Clark

Clint Eastwood getting ready to be in Carmel's Centennial parade. — Clint Eastwood getting ready to be in Carmel’s Centennial parade.

Clint Eastwood is everyone’s favorite mayor of Carmel – no offense to our current mayor, but hey, he’s Clint! When Clint was elected mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea in 1986, he put Carmel on the national map – for those who already didn’t know about our charming village that just turned 100 years old yesterday!

So who else would Carmel invite to be the Grand Marshal of the Carmel Centennial parade. Well, Clint of course!

The whole town turned out to take part in this fabulous community event. There were amazing floats, marching bands, school groups, the girl scouts, theater groups, musicians, dancers, and dignitaries.

clint-stage — Clint Eastwood getting ready to lead the parade on the Wells Fargo stagecoach.

Here’s Clint in the staging area ready to lead the parade! The Sunset Center, our center of performing arts, offered this lovely float.

sunset-center-float — The Sunset Center’s fabulous float

Carmel Plaza is Carmel-by-the-Sea’s only shopping center featuring many restaurants and boutiques. You can also find the Carmel Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center there with answers to all your Carmel questions. They proudly entered this lovely float below.

carmel-plaza-float — Carmel Plaza with its amazing entry

The most fun was to see all of the community organizations turned out in their 1916 best! Since I was in the parade, these photos are of everyone getting organized in the parade staging area.

chamber — The Ambassadors of the Carmel Chamber of Commerce representing the business women and men of 1916! What fun we had dressing up!

suffragettes — The Carmel Women’s Club as Suffragettes

The Red Cross of 1916 as depicted by a community organization

I loved watching these very well organized and adorable kids from the Carmel River Elementary School.

North Monterey County High School sent a fabulous marching band.

It is quite an amazing thing to be in a parade and quite a thrill. Usually I am watching on the sidelines like these folks.

I’m not sure who had more fun those marching . . .

The Carmel Chamber of Commerce ambassadors rounding the turn-around at Monte Verde and Ocean

or those watching. In any case, it was a fun-filled day.

Let’s not forget that Carmel was settled by artists, poets, actors, and bohemians so they were also well represented.

The Wizard of Oz cast with a young understudy of Dorothy — The Wizard of Oz cast with a young understudy for Dorothy

Shakespeare in the park played by Phyllis Davis and her husband.

Those of us in the parade got a kick out of comparing our costumes.

L-Susan Clark, Cammie Jones, Whiz Lindsey

The parade ended with a lovely lunch at the Sunset Center and then cake (in the shape of our office) at our Alain Pinel Realtors office on Junipero between 5th & 6th.

I hope everyone enjoyed this fun day! If you weren’t able to be there, I hope these photos will give you a little taste.

susan-office — Susan Clark ~ Carmel Realtor from 1916 in front of Alain Pinel Realtors

After being in real estate for many years, I find every client has their own story,. So whether you’re living in 1916 . . . or 2016, let’s find YOUR happy ending!

Susan Clark, Realtor 831-320-6801 — Susan Clark, Realtor Call me. 831-320-6801

Communities, Community Events

Carmel’s Rockin’ Farmer’s Market Today ~ Carmel-by-the-Sea

October 20, 2016 Susan Clark

Today Carmel’s Farmers Market rocked out to the tunes of Nik Borotolussi & Friends from 11:00am on!

What could be better than buying strawberries to the sounds of “Sweet Georgia Brown“!

The crowd enjoyed the music while they shopped.

Look at these gorgeous, mouth-watering organic strawberries.

Or how about some luscious apples or grapes?

Flowers were there in abundance as well.

Exotic orchids and other flowers begging to be brought home to create a lovely bouquet for the dinner table.

The Carmel Farmer’s Market takes place every Thursday morning on Sixth Street between Junipero and Mission Street a block away from our office.

Thinking of buying a house along with your broccoli? Stop by and say hello. Would love to help you find your dream home.

Alain Pinel Realtors on Junipero between 5th & 6th.

Give Susan a call at 831-320-6801

Community Events, Monterey Peninsula Cities

“The Rooster Crowed”~ MPCC Leadership Luncheon ~ Seaside CA

October 3, 2016 Susan Clark

Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce Leadership Luncheon

at Embassy Suites in Seaside, CA, September 30, 2016

The Rooster Crowed! What kind of title is that for a Leadership Luncheon? Well, just hang on and you’ll know soon enough. As far as the luncheon goes, you might say, anyone who was anyone was there. The room was filled with elected officials and those hoping to get elected.

During the networking time before the luncheon I was able to speak with Casey Lucius, who is running for Congress against Jimmy Panetta. I love seeing more and more women getting involved in politics and we certainly need more women in Washington. I’m sure Jimmy Panetta will give her a run for her money, however.

The luncheon began with Jody Hansen, MPCC President and CEO, introducing the Master of Ceremonies, Doug Yount, MPCC Chair-Elect. After a few remarks, he introduced Senator Bill Monning, Senate Majority Leader, California Senate District 178, who was the keynote speaker.

He spoke of our 3 top industries that employ the most employees, Agriculture, Hospitality, and Higher Education and caught us up on the important issues we are facing – water being one of the major ones.

Assembly member, Mark Stone, from the state assembly then followed with his remarks and then Supervisors John Philips, Jane Parker, and Dave Potter. Sheriff Steve Bernal had a lot to say about law enforcement, but like the others, had only 4 minutes to say it in.

There was a great showing by most of the mayors of our area – 8 in all. Mayor Bill Kampe discussed what was going on in Pacific Grove and invited everyone to the Butterfly Parade coming up.

Mayor Pro Tem, Carrie Theis, of Carmel invited everyone to the Centennial Parade on October 29th. The Master of Ceremonies had earlier announced that Mayor Steve Dallas of Carmel couldn’t be there, because he was busy finding the horses to pull Grand Marshall Clint Eastwood’s stagecoach in the parade.

Clint Eastwood, Grand Marshall of the Carmel Centennial parade

We’re all looking forward to this parade and even I will be dressed up in period costume following behind the stagecoach as an Ambassador of the Carmel Chamber of Commerce.

I’ve been to many Mayors panels in recent years and Jerry Edelen, the mayor of Del Rey Oaks, always has a well written humorous set of remarks prepared. This luncheon was no different. This time his “state of Del Rey Oaks” speech was all about the bull frogs and an annoying rooster who was cock-a-doodling every morning and annoying all the neighbors. It was rumored the rooster had escaped from Seaside.

The police were called who set some traps, but this was one smart rooster who took the bait and escaped the trap. Finally one day he just disappeared solving the major problem of the city of Del Rey Oaks. It’s not clear if the bull frogs got him or if he decided to go traveling again.

Mayors Bruce Delgado (Marina), Clyde Roberson (Monterey), Joe Gunter (Salinas), David Pendergrass (Sand City), and Ralph Rubio (Seaside) also presented their 4 minute messages. District Director, Alec Arago, from Sam Farr’s office completed the presentation and both Alec and Sam Farr, US Representative, who was in Washington DC, were thanked for their many years of service in the 20th Congressional District.

It’s always rewarding to see and hear our elected officials and I was very glad I was able to attend this year’s Annual Leadership Luncheon.

Susan's Musings by the Sea