The Warmth of Indian Summer
Indian Summer: The colder it gets, the more my mind drifts towards Indian Summer in Monterey, California. Ya see, Indian Summer's the only warm place in Monterey... a city that never gets warm [link]. I'll grant Monterey one thing, it doesn't get "freezing" either... but what they call warm is what an equatorial creature such as myself calls "cold". That all gets thrown out the window at Indian Summer.
Indian Summer is part restaurant, part bar, part club and part hookah den. What really sets them apart are the two brick fireplaces that they light every evening. In tandem with their warmers, these turn the patio into a natural gathering place for others who love warmth. People gather around the fireplaces... and conversation naturally follows around the tables surrounding the fireplaces. In a single evening, you can talk with soldiers from the base up the hill, with fishermen and with locals who are winding down in the relaxing warmth. This multifaceted nature is the very definition of a speakeasy.
On one of our trips to Indian Summer, we left midday and they offered to save our table when they heard we were planning on returning. The fresh naan they bake is amazing, as is the Indian fare they cook up. I have to add that their hookahs make for the best shisha experience in all of Cali... at least as far as I've found. I'm willing to explore. The only suggestion I have for other travelers is to call ahead, as their hours and the crowds are always "up to chaos".
Indian Summer, 220 Olivier St, Monterey, CA 93940
831.372.4744 ~ Indian Summer on Yelp
Song of the Day: Bjork - Joga (Matta Refix) [Click to Download]
Joga Remix by Matta
About the Above Photo: The leading photo was taken at Indian Summer, capturing a closeup of one of the two Indian Summer firepits. Since then, it's been used in multiple places, most notably for the album cover for "The Ash of a Thousand Suns". Google didn't select it for Google Maps, but you can see the original [Here on Panoramio]. Also, for a step back in time, you can see the original mod I made from this photo [Here on deviantART].
