Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1254473
96 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S P R I N G / S U M M E R 2 0 2 0 "The Persistence of Memory" (1931) is one of Dali's most well-known Surrealist works. It contains much of the imagery for which he is known, including the introduction of his iconic "Soft Watches" or "Melting Clocks." Photo: Peter Horree /Alamy Stock Photo The year 1945 was an especially productive one for Dali. He spent nearly 10 months of that year at Pebble and produced nearly 20 paintings — an astonishing number, given the precision and detail he infused into his work. Hope. A famous moment occurred when Coogan, seated next to Hope, lifted the silver dome from the entrée served to Hope, only to discover a plate full of live frogs. Hope's bemused reaction is priceless. Due to the enormous cost of mounting the affair, Dali's Del Monte party failed to generate funds for its intended beneficiaries and a dis- heartened Dali, unhappy with the way his party turned out (for one thing, he didn't get the giraffe he wanted) decamped for New York quickly thereafter. But his disappointment did not extend to his opinion of the Central Coast area: he and Gala returned at least 10 times for varying lengths of stay until 1948. Initially, the couple stayed at the Hotel Del Monte, where they rented a suite for their use and for receiving guests, plus another room that Dali used as his studio. When the hotel was commandeered by the US Navy for use as a facility to train pilots bound for the Pacific Theater during World War II, the Dalis moved to Pebble Beach, where they stayed during all subsequent visits. They resided in what was known as "cottage row," a series of bungalows arrayed along the first fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links built by Pebble Beach Company founder S.F.B. Morse in 1916. For the most part, the pair were happy at Pebble Beach, but at one point Gala—being more accustomed to the glitz and glamor of New York and Paris than the relatively rustic and rural vibe of the wartime Pacific Coast—com- plained to management about the proffered accommodations. Morse responded with a diplomatic and apologetic missive asking her bear in mind that there was a war on after all, and things were not normal. He concluded by asking her to "play the game." Evidently the let-