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The Soiled Doves Bath House | Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

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Although I have left Carmel to return to Napa, I still have much to share about this charming little town by the sea. The Soiled Doves Bath House is one of those places I had been curious about since June, and finally managed to explore during my stay in the fall.

You will find The Soiled Doves on Dolores Street, almost across from Comstock’s famous Tuck Box. It is housed in a lovely historic cottage that was built in 1926, and was originally the residence of one of Carmel’s first business women, herself born in 1870.

 

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Today the cottage is a little oasis of peace, and a cornucopia of quality bath and body products that will soothe your body, mind and soul. The owner, Betsy Durnell, has been in business for about twenty years, and in this location for seven of them. She is kind and charming, will make you feel welcome, and will be delighted to share the magic of her shop with you. She curates the selection of products personally and, as you can see in the images, she has done a wonderful job of styling the place. Each piece of furniture and decor is also carefully selected to achieve this fresh and elegant look.

Betsy’s dream is to eventually expand the business into a whole Victorian house, adding spa services and a tea room. I really like the sound of all of that.

 

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On chilly days, the fireplace helps keep things warm. It is now converted to gas (as most fireplaces are, by law, in California) but it used to be a wood-burning one originally. Betsy explained that this is, and was also back when the cottage was a residence, the main source of heat in the whole building. I shivered at the thought of getting into the bathroom on a cold winter morning.

 

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The pretty vintage lamp in the image above has a little bit of a story. Betsy recounted how she had fallen in love with it at a vintage store several years previously. The price was a big hefty for her, so she decided to pass. A year later, on another visit to the same store, she saw the lamp had not sold, so she asked the owner if she could maybe come down in price. The owner would not, because she loved the lamp herself and did not really want to sell it. Another year and another visit to the vintage store later, the lamp was still there, and the owner still would not come down on the price. But Betsy felt the lamp was waiting for her, with its “arms at the waist as if saying, ‘So? Are you taking me home or what?'” She bit the bullet and now gets to enjoy it every day in her shop.

 

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I particularly love this display with the rabbits. It is both opulent and whimsical, reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland, but with a touch of glamour.

 

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These beautiful colored granules in the jars above and below are not bath salts as I initially thought, but a different version of potpourri. I just love how she uses bone china tea cups to scoop them out into sachets or boxes.

 

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After you have browsed the front room, do continue on, as more wonderful treasures are to be found in the back rooms. If I remember correctly, the nook in the image below right was converted from what used to be the kitchen.

 

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If you are up for a little chat, do ask Betsy about Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and also about the origin behind the name The Soiled Doves. Ok, if you can’t wait till you get to Carmel, you can find the story of the name at this page on her website. But the Queen Elizabeth part, you will have to wait and ask.

 

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“Would you like a lovely lavender soap?” asks Mr. Rabbit. Yes, please!

 

THE SOILED DOVES BATH HOUSE

Dolores Street, btw. Ocean and 7th – Carmel-by-the-Sea, California 93921   |   website   |   ph. (831) 624-9377

 

 

More chapters from The Carmel Journals you might enjoy:

 

 

And just beyond Carmel:

 

 

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    Happy Mother’s Day to all the Mothers and to all those who have been mothering in some way.
Here is mine. She no longer looks quite like this, though this is how I think of her and I am sure this is how she thinks of herself.

The main thing is that she is still with us, despite all the challenges. I get to talk to her every day and will be spending more time with her in a few weeks. That is a blessing I don’t take lightly. 
🩷🌸🩷
M
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© Monica Schwartz - all rights reserved.
    For those who have missed it or who don’t get my newsletter, there is a new post on the blog in which I share about my personal experiences with various holistic treatments and therapies on my wellness journey.

It is the 5th installment in my Self Help series, which begins with chapter one and dealing with panic attacks. You can easily find the previous 4 once you get to this newest one. The link is in profile under “latest post”, or you can comment WELLBEING below and I will be happy to send you the link directly.

Don’t you just love peonies?
Love and blessings,
Monica
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#loob_selfhelp #holisticwellbeing #mindfulness #healthyliving #anxietyrelief #deepbreathing #peonies #stilllifephotography #fineartphotography #selfcarepractice #mindfulpractice
    Good Morning!

The official rose month is just around the corner, and there are already roses blooming everywhere in my neck of the woods. Yesterday on my walk I literally stopped and smelled the roses: heavenly!

I wanted to let you know that the new Calendar Wallpaper will be coming your way tomorrow, and on Friday I will be publishing a new post, which will be first announced in the newsletter coming your way on the same day. 

So you might want to keep an eye on your inbox, and if you have not yet subscribed and would like to, you can easily do so at the link in profile, or you can comment SUBSCRIBE and I will message you the link directly.

Blessings and love,
Monica
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© Monica Schwartz - all rights reserved. Do not reproduce in any way without written permission.
    Good Morning!

This exquisite Classic English kitchen in Southeast London caught my eye as it popped into my inbox a few days ago. 

I have not shared any home design inspiration for some time, for all the same reasons why I had not posted or sent out newsletters for sometime. But make no mistake: my love for interior design and architecture has not dulled one iota. Actually, it is even stronger.

Take a look on the blog (link in profile under Latest Post) for images, story and description of this moody-done-right kitchen.

Wishing you an easy rest of the week!
xoxo
Monica
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#loob_homedesign #kitchendesign #interiordesign #classicenglishkitchen #oldhouseappreciation #homerenovation #oldhouselove #historichomes #houseportrait #kitchengoals #kitchenremodel #georgianhome #kitchendesignideas #kitchendesigner #kitchendesigninspiration #londonarchitecture #kitchendesigntrends #moodyinteriors #moodyinteriorstyle #darkandmoodyinteriors #moodyinteriorsuk #moodyinteriorsdoneright #copper #homedecor #madeinengland #kitchencabinetry #customkitchens #copperkitchen #kitchencolorscheme #kitchencolorsideas 
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