blue green resorts In Carmel I discovered two quality lodgings charging moderate rates: the Pine Inn Hotel, Ocean Avenu

In Carmel I discovered two quality lodgings charging moderate rates: the Pine Inn Hotel, Ocean Avenue (& 800/228-3851), with its turn-ofthe- 20th-century-bordello-meets-theFar- East decor, blue green resorts and the Vagabond House, Fourth Street (& 800/2621262), a warm, homey English Tudor inn. As for new restaurants in Carmel, I discovered two gems: Club Jalape o, San Carlos Avenue (& 831/6261997), the best, hippest, and most authentic Mexican restaurant in town; and Tommy s Wok, Mission Street (& 831/624-8518), a little Chinese restaurant with a make-it-all-fromscratch philosophy and a Mongolian lamb dish that ll blow your taste buds. I ve also included a trio of longtime favorites: The Hog s Breath Inn, San Carlos Street (& 831/625-1044), Clint s Eastwood old hangout; Little

ITALIAN Paul Bertolli, former chef at Chez Panisse, jumped ship to open one of the top Italian restaurants blue green resorts in the Bay Area (certainly the best in Oakland). During the week it s a madhouse at lunchtime, when local workers pile in for the wood-fired pizzas and tapas in the lower-level cafe. The upstairs restaurant with neo-Florentine decor is slightly more civil, packed nightly with fans of Bertolli s house-made pastas, sausages, and prosciutto. Oliveto has a wood-burning oven, flame-broiled rotisserie, and a good wine list. You might begin your meal with a special cocktail (evenings only), such as Vodka Nero, made with pinot noir grape juice and lime. An assortment of pricey grills, braises, and roasts anchor the daily changing menu, but it s the heavenly blue green resorts pastas that will truly send you. Still, the Arista (classic Italian pork with garlic and rosemary and pork jus) is insanely good; and no one does fried calamari, onion rings, and lemon slices better than Oliveto. Tip: There s free parking in the lot at the rear of the Market Hall building.

Yosemite National Park: You re in for the ultimate treat at Yosemite. Nothing in the state maybe even the world compares to this vast wilderness and its miles of rivers, lakes, peaks, and valleys. With 3 out of 10 of the world s tallest waterfalls, the largest granite monolith in the world, and some of the world s

If you re downtown during rush hour or leaving from a major hotel, it won t be hard to hail a cab just look for the lighted sign on the roof that indicates if one is available. Otherwise, it s a good idea to call one of the following companies to arrange a ride: Veteran s Cab (& 415/552-1300), Luxor Cabs (& 415/2824141), or Yellow Cab (& 415/626-2345). Rates are approximately $2.85 for the first mile and $2.25 for each mile thereafter.