1. It’s not all wine Monterey County may have been named one of the world’s top 10 wine destinations, and no doubt you’ll sip a standout pinot Noir or chardonnay, but wine isn’t the only reason to imbibe. At Cultura Comida y Bebida, Carmel’s newly opened Mexican restaurant, sommelier and owner Sarah Kabat-Marcy offers small-batch, single origin Mezcal, including creative Mezcal-driven cocktails (the carrot-ginger-orange Conejo Bebida is swoon-worthy) and a Mezcal flight that’ll have you joyously pinching agave worm salt and chapulines (edible grasshoppers). Cheers to that!