We were on our way between San Francisco and Monterey and wanted a stop in the Santa Cruz area. We were a little unsure about what we had gotten into with the drive to their house, but it was paradise when we arrived. Mark and Hope are awesome hosts and make you feel like part of the family. On their encouragement, we shopped for beef to put on the barbeque and Mark even cooked it (perfectly) for us. Watching the sunset over the Santa Cruz mountains was pure joy, as was the fire in the garden to warm us up. Mustn't forget to mention all the other little treats like homemade biscotti (we also got a care package for the road) and the special breakfast treats. Really loved our special Californian experience.