About a quarter of my time in Carmel by the Sea has been spent without power for long periods of time (up to two days at one point). This isn’t something I’m used to so I’d just light every candle and wait it out. But after a few times, I realised this would be a reoccurring thing since storm after storm seems to be plummeting the west coast (and we’re getting hit with the hardest rains/winds).

A little research on the American Red Cross and Consumer Energy Center left me with a few helpful do’s and dont’s. I took a lot to heart and stocked up on some things which was good because upon my return home, the power was out. All day.

Here’s my survival guide:

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Carmel by the Sea California on the left and Ribe, Denmark on the right.

I’m an extraordinarily frugal girl that I will go without or scrimp on most things just so I never have to question what I can afford in the areas that are most important to me – travel, food/health and home. This has always lead me to pay ridiculous amounts of money for rent which has always made people question why.

But when it comes to where I live, I have very specific ideas – it has to be in a beautiful area as I, like most people, am deeply affected by my surroundings. I want to feel good about coming home, inspired by what’s around me, and comfortable whether it’s 2PM or 2AM. It has to be in walking distance to everything since I don’t own a car. I like being able to bike or walk to whatever I need – this alone saves me at least $500 a month which I can then put towards rent. The building itself must be unique, have some charm but not falling apart. I like interesting quirks but not quirks that don’t work! I get this from French chateau’s where they aren’t heavily furnished but the stonework of the building takes centre stage. If the home is built beautifully, there’s less I need to do (and less is always more for me). And the home must be light with something pretty to look at through the windows. Size isn’t always important but usable space is. I generally tend to go between 900 – 1300 square feet, however.

So given these perimeters and the cities I’ve lived in, rent is just high – even when in rent control. But it’s always, always been worth it for me to not have to sacrifice where I live or how I live because that’s what will affect my daily work, how I feel, people visiting etc.

I think home being so important to me is why I notice other homes all the time. I mean, really notice them. Architecture is one of my favourite things to study and look at. I always wonder – who lives in there and why? What’s it like? I’ve lived in very modern flats in great big cities and there’s part of me that’s very attracted to this. But my heart lies in the older buildings – things with heart and character. A space that doesn’t require me to decorate it all up because it’s amazing all on its own. And that’s often a struggle to find in the cities I’ve lived in.

I love being in France for these very reasons; small, interesting towns that are still in use, still lived in but seem so surreal to me. Every time I go back I just want to live there in one of these villages, in a 400 year old home, and have people who walk the cobblestone streets wonder, “who lives in there?”

Luckily I’m going back soon enough to find out and to see more beautiful buildings!