Let's Go Down to the Mermaid Cafe #50

And I'll buy you a bottle of fun.

Sunday was a fun day, because it was 'Cafe Carmel' gig day.

Later that afternoon, back in my magical kingdom, I went to sit on the church wall to think.

Feeling a bit like Winnie the Pooh, I lay back to cloudburst and ruminate on what had just happened. I’d got to sing and play my songs to a crowd of beautiful people, with Nic Spinks who played tenor guitar with me like it was osmosis, and everyone listened. In fact, everyone seemed to love it. How lucky was I?

In my pondering, it struck me a disproportionate amount of friends there were healers of one sort or another. There was Jane the magical colour healer, Harriet the Reiki homeopath, Sue the soul crafting witch, Lucy the dog listener and her partner, Lucy, a retired nurse. And along with all the healers, there were musicians, artists, dog lovers, music lovers, vegan lovers, and life lovers in general. How on earth did I stumble upon such a lovely community of people? All roads seemed to lead to Carmel.

All Aboard the Magical Mystery Tour

On the day I found ‘Cafe Carmel’, back in 2022, I’d gone to the beach and decided to take the long way home: a Magical Mystery Tour of the coast road clockwise as far as I fancied. I might’ve ended up in Essex if I hadn’t spied an old bicycle decorated with flowers in front of a little parade of shops. I was so curious I stopped and soon found myself standing beneath a sign that read ‘Cafe Carmel'.  Was this for real — another Carmel in Norfolk?

I went inside and was welcomed by Ellie, Dale and Anne, the café family. I told them, slightly bemused, about my song then sat outside and ate a delicious whopper Vegan cheese toastie, read something wise from a wellbeing book that was in a pile of free books by the bench, and went home much happier.

Ever since then, it’s been my secret escape. Whenever my soul needs a little lift, I drive there and sit outside writing, eating and drinking, and chatting to the Carmel tribe. Something magical always happens there. And since it was going to be 5 years to the day I arrived in Carmel, California, I thought what better place to celebrate the new 'Carmel’ video than with a gig there. And so I asked Ellie and the rest, they say is —.

Tribes and Vibes

Lying on the church wall this Sunday, I was thinking back to that day on the beach in California, of staying with Dink and Kerrin, my Air BnB hosts and their pack of Heelers, Australian cattle dogs.

I smiled to myself about the repeating patterns. Carmel and Carmel.  Heelers and healers.  What did it all mean?

They say like attracts like.  I’ve written about it in my Substacks: sympathetic resonance. And I’ve pondered on the Law of Attraction and vibration generally for months now. Even singing, it all seems to go back to vibrations and harmony.  Makes me want to do gigs like that again and again, just to see what happens. 

Nic and I will, on my return from America. For now, here’s a snippet of Sunday with Sid the dog showing his appreciation. So sweet.

You can find ‘Cafe Carmel’ at Walcott Road, Bacton, Norfolk NR12 OHB, and visit their Instagram here.

Don't forget to also check out the new video here, and stream 'Carmel' for your next beach trip.

Thank you again, everyone, who came, who shared the love, and who continue to share the music.  Together, we make magic. 

Love and Car(a)mel Swirls,

Holly x