My Winter Vacation

What I did on my winter vacation...
By Matt The Cat

When I usually go to California, I end up in LA. This past week, I discovered what I had been missing all these years: Monterey. I spent the whole week traveling around the Monterey Peninsula and having a great time. From the incredible views of Big Sur to the frolicing sea otters of Fisherman's Warf, Monterey makes this hearty New Englander think that maybe the East Coast isn't all that I thought it was.

I am not much of a photographer, but I did take a few shots and wanted to share them. This first one was taken at Point 16 in Big Sur. It was a gorgeous Sunday and the perfect start to my relaxing vacation away from the XM Satellite.
The next picture was taken at Carmel Beach. In-between my trips to Big Sur and Carmel, I visited the Santa Cruz Boardwalk and rode the Giant Dipper Rollercoaster, which first opened in 1924. Up to this point, the oldest rollercoaster that I had ridden was the Cyclone in Coney Island. Now, I love the Cyclone, but The Giant Dipper was pretty damn amazing as well.
I saw two missions while I was out in MidCal. One was in Carmel and the other was in San Juan Bautista. I really dug San Juan Bautista, because so much of the old town remains intact and in use. They have roosters prowling the streets, crowing. The Mexican food shouldn't be missed as well.
I have so many glorious California Sunsets on camera, that to just pick one was almost impossible. This one was taken Friday Night on the patio of Spanish Bay at Pebble Beach. I don't golf, but golfers certainly have taste in location.

I went to California for a few days off with no intention of buying any records, I swear. Somehow, records just seem to find me. I wondered into a little shop called Vinyl Revolution and while flipping through the unimpressive bins, I saw out of the corner of my eye, a stack of 78s in the corner. After flipping through many a "fox trot" on Victor and Columbia, I found the "booty" I was hoping for. It was the red and black of the Atlantic label that jumped out at me like a diamond in crap. What followed was King, Specialty, Cadence and Chess. There's nothing like finding some rock n' roll 78s to put the finishing touches on a great trip out to God's Country: Monterey, California. But for me, it's time to jump back up into the XM Satellite and bring rock n' roll, doo wop, rockabilly and R&B to cats n' kittens everywhere.