Located at the corner of Santa Fe Street and Sixth Avenue, it was part of a complex of five homes commissioned by W. I have not discovered the story behind the home’s name, but maybe it was a present for some lucky soul back in 1929 when it was built. Unfortunately, most of the house is simply out of sight, hidden behind trees, shrubs, and foliage.

This one really tugs at your storybook heartstrings with its steep storybook gables and half timbered walls. It took some clever camera finagling to get a proper glimpse of the Birthday Cottage.

Since that time, hob and nob became a phrase meaning friends drinking hobnob to each other, and from there it became associated with congenial social gatherings. “Hob, nob is his word,” says Sir Toby, using hob and nob to mean something like “hit or miss”. Hob and nob first came together in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, when Sir Toby Belch warns Viola (who is disguised as a man) that Sir Andrew wants to duel. The origin of its current name is interesting. Because the gate is rather dark and the house below the road, it remains somewhat hidden from view.īuilt in 1924, this Tudor Revival home was originally known as the Garfield D. Una even did her laundry at the Kuster’s because Tor House had no electricity. Kuster do, but build his house next to the Jeffer’s Tor House! Apparently, both couples got along extremely well. Kuster’s move was considered scandalous at the time because he was the ex-husband of Una Jeffers, now wife of famous poet Robinson Jeffers. It was built in 1920 by Edward Kuster, an attorney, who moved to Carmel and eventually built the Golden Bough Playhouse. It is somewhat hidden behind greenery and a fence made of tree branches.

The Kuster house, sometimes called Kuster Castle, sits high on a hill on Ocean View Avenue. Join me as I explore the prettiest hidden homes of Carmel. Sometimes they like to remain hidden for privacy, and other times they have been been ignored or simply overlooked. Others are quiet, shy, and like to stay out of the limelight. They stand out and seem to get all the attention. Some are bright and bubbly and just exude charisma. Houses, like people, have different personalities.

Our castle by the sea