See Vintage MG's at the Martine Inn on the California Coast

By George & Ninette Medovoy

(Pictured above is Don Martine with one of his vintage MG's)

It’s not exactly what you might think from outside appearances, but this spacious Mediterranean house on the Pacific welcomes you with comfortable lodging to complement any tour of Monterey County’s many vineyards and wineries.

The true story of the Martine Inn is on the inside, where a Victorian mansion filled with all the trappings of a bygone era awaits you.

And that’s not all.

Out back in the garage, you’ll discover the sheer whimsy of innkeeper Don Martine’s collection of vintage MGs.

Combine all of this with a pleasant seaside location -- you can walk, bicycle or roller skate along a seven-mile shoreline recreational trail across the street, going all the way to Cannery Row -- and the proximity of nearby Monterey County vineyards and wineries, and you have the makings of a memorable weekend getaway.

Perched on a hill overlooking Monterey Bay and down the block from historic Cannery Row, the Martine Inn was constructed in 1899 and, in 1901, purchased by Laura and James Parke – of Parke Davis Pharmaceuticals – as their family home.

Laura Parke gave many regal parties in this spacious house, which the Parkes for some reason stuccoed over to suggest a sunny Mediterranean look.

Laura’s husband, James, who was fond of exotic woods, added Siamese teak for the outside gates, mahogany trim in the parlor and dining rooms, and Spanish cedar for the staircase.

(The exterior of the inn)

The Victorian mood is evident as soon as you walk in the front door and see the antique grandfather clock and the 19th-century wicker baby carriage.

Would you like a cup of coffee or a piece of cake? Help yourself to some on the nearby antique hutch.

The snug parlor room, with pictures of the Parke clan, is filled with books, board games, and, by the window, a William Knabe piano.

At night, the ruby red light shade with black tinsel adds a strange glow to the room. Out back, there’s a game room with a 1917 nickelodeon, an 1890 white oak pool table and, in keeping with innkeeper Don Martine’s love of old MG’s, the original stained glass windows from the MG factory in England.

The adjoining spa room, originally the conservatory, has a six-person hot tub to soothe your limbs.

The inn’s 19 bedrooms conform to the Martine vision for the house: "We attempted to recreate," notes Don, "the environment of a very wealthy person’s home at the start of the century, and to treat our guests the way they would have been treated had they been invited to the house."

Thus, when your reservation’s confirmed, it’s done by hand.
"Nobody does that anymore," says Don. "Nowadays, it’s all done by computers."

Bedroom furnishings in the house are charming, to say the least, filled with pieces going back to the early 1800’s.

Some examples:
~ The Parke Room, with an outstanding view of the waves crashing against the rocks, has an 1860’s Chippendale revival bedroom set, four-poster bed with canopy and side curtains, sitting area, and clawfoot tub.

~ The Malarin Room contains a rare 1890’s mahogany American two-piece, marble-topped bedroom set shown at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair.

~ The Jenny Lind Room features an 1850 Jenny Lind American three-piece bedroom set, with carved busts of Jenny on each piece.

Mornings at the Martine Inn are great, with a nice big breakfast waiting for you in the dining room. Antique tables are covered with crocheted table cloths, and fine china is served. The menu includes warm blueberry muffins, a vegetable quiche, cantaloupe, coffee, apple juice and tea, all served by a very friendly wait staff.

Handy binoculars give everyone a chance to spot the sea lions having their own breakfast on the rocks offshore.

If you really want to taste history, the inn also serves five-to-seven course Victorian lunches and seven-to-12-course Victorian dinners for special groups, with a 12-course dinner including 10 wines, two champagnes and a variety of entrees, for $150 a person.

Guests use what today might seem odd Victorian silverware: dainty berry forks, fruit knives and ice cream forks.

But fast forward to the present....

After breakfast, Don Martine let us see his MG’s.

These cars, all in mint condition with fine leather upholstery and steering wheels on the right side, include two stunning, fire-engine-red models: a 1929 speed model that can do up to 80 mph, and a 1950 von Neuman TD Special, which won the first Pebble Beach Road Race that year.

Only 25 1929’s were built – and only six are left.

The model originally sold for about 500 British pounds, but today can fetch between $100,000 and $200,000.

Martine, ever the gracious host, took the von Neuman Special out of the garage for us to inspect more closely. It’s his favorite. The car, looking brand new, started up right away.You could tell from the determined roar of the engine that it was raring to go.

Martine then struck a rather comic pose in his dream car – the best-known MG in the United States – wearing his antique raccoon coat and his grandfather’s ill-fitting gloves with leather flares.

Martine said he has raced the aluminum-body von Neuman six times, capturing two wins, two seconds, and two third-place spots.

An inn staffer confided: "When Don comes down the street in his MG, you can feel the vibrations from the engine even before he gets on the property."

"It’s an extremely quick car," says Don. "It does not have the greatest top speed, but I’ll beat an awful lot of cars that have a higher speed, because the car will handle better through the corners."

It’s a rare experience, we must say, dividing your time between a charming Victorian and red-hot MG’s. But then, the Martine Inn, like its owner, is no ordinary experience.

IF YOU GO...
The Martine Inn is located at 255 Oceanview Blvd. in Pacific Grove. For information and reservations, call 1-800-852-5588, or visit www.martineinn.com.

Rates are $135 to $245 per night, including breakfast.

Pacific Grove, population 16,000, known as "The Last Hometown" for its small-town feeling, is also called "Butterfly Town, USA" because of the thousands of monarch butterflies that return to its pine trees each October.

There’s plenty to do and see nearby, including the famous 17-Mile Drive to fabulous homes and coastline along the Pebble Beach Golf Links; the four-block walk to the famous Monterey Bay Aquarium; John Steinbeck’s renowned Cannery Row; and Pacific Grove’s quaint Victorian Tour of gingerbread homes.

Of course, you will want to use the inn as your base for touring the many vineyards and wineries of Monterey County.

A Taste of Monterey, at 700 Cannery Row, offers Monterey County Wine Tasting, featuring over 30 local wineries. Open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.. Call (408) 646-5446.

AgVenture Tours has agriculture and wine tasting tours of Monterey County. Call 1-888-643-WINE.

MONTEREY COUNTY VINEYARDS AND WINERIES
Over 200 years ago, the first wine grapes were planted in Monterey County by the Franciscan friars at the Soledad Mission. Today, the county boasts over 35,000 acres of wine grapes, making it one of the largest premium grape-growing regions in California.

In the early 1960’s, Monterey County became recognized as a premium wine-producing region as a result of studies conducted by Professor A.J. Winkler, a viticultural authority from the University of California at Davis.

Winkler published a report, which classified grape-growing districts by climate. Monterey County was classified as Region I and Region II, comparable to Napa, Sonoma, Burgundy and Bordeaux. This discovery came at an opportune time for Monterey, since the demand for table wine had been steadily increasing. Established wineries had begun to seek out new land in Monterey for their vineyards, some of which include Wente, Chalone, Paul Masson, J. Lohr and Mirassou.

Wines from Monterey County have unique qualities, which make them easily distinguishable from those produced elsewhere in California or the world. Grapes grown in the area are characterized by their intense flavor, which results in wines with exceptional varietal integrity.

The ocean influence of Monterey Bay allows for a long growing season. The lingering morning fog burns off by late morning to allow for warm sun in the middle of the day, however, the fog returns to cool off the late afternoon.

Grapevines in Monterey County tend to produce buds in early spring (about two weeks earlier than in other regions). The harvest, which takes place in the fall, typically begins two weeks later than other regions.

Therefore, the grapes remain on the vine approximately one month longer, which produces smaller berries with very concentrated fruit flavors. The longer growing season results in vibrant fruit, which mature slowly, creating intense varietal flavors with a nice balance of sugar and acid.

Over 35 wineries and vineyards comprise the Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association, which identifies Monterey County as a premium wine and grape-growing region. Chardonnay, one of the highest selling varietals, is grown in greater quantities in Monterey County than any other wine grape-growing region in California.

Overall, the varieties grown are: Whites: Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Muscat Blanc/Canelli, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Viognier, White Riesling, Malvasia Bianca, Marsanne, Orange Muscat.

Reds: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Valdiguie, Grenache, Petite Syrah, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Syrah, Zinfandel, Barbera, Malbec, Mouvedre, Nebbiolo, Petit Verdot.

More information about the wineries of Monterey County is available at www.montereywines.org.

While staying at the Martine Inn, be sure to take in the famous Monterey Bay Aquarium, which is located nearby. Read about it by clicking here.