We spent the long weekend on the Monterey coast and enjoyed some beautiful sunshine in the middle of January. We really are so lucky to live in California!

I’m not quite sure if there is a huge population of Britfolk in Monterey but for a population of 408,000, the city has not one, not two, but five British pubs to speak of.

* The Crown & Anchor, 150 W. Franklin St., Monterey. (831) 649-6496.

* The Bulldog British Pub, 611 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey. (831) 658-0686.

* London Bridge Pub, Wharf Number 2, Monterey. (831) 372-0581.

* Brittania Arms Pub & Restaurant, 444 Alvarado St., Monterey. (831) 656-9543.

* Bullwacker’s, 653 Cannery Row, Monterey. (831) 373-1353.

We went to London Bridge Pub since it welcomed kids and had a kids’ menu (I’ve since discovered that Bullwacker’s is also welcoming of wee ones …) and were instantly transported into your typical British pub atmosphere, which is actually very comforting. There was plenty of London signs, Guinness ads, tea pots and British posters as well as a menu with the usual suspects – pasties, bangers and mash, curry and rice, cottage pie. With a pint of Boddington and some fish and chips, I was, as they say, happy as Larry.

Just who exactly was this mythical Larry?

My guess is that he was a British ex-pat who made his way to Monterey and discovered a home away from home.