Fairy Tale Cottages (The Tuck Box), Carmel (must see)

Fairy Tale Cottages are a series of homes that were designed by Hugh Comstock. Each has the appearance of a fairy tale cottage brought to life. They have uneven rooflines, stone chimneys, ornate metalwork and English-style gardens. The homes are located in the Comstock Historical Hill District.

Comstock began building the homes in 1924. The first was a house for he and his wife, Mayotta Browne, that he called Gretel. The second, a home called Hansel, was built to showcase the cloth Otsy-Totsy dolls his wife made. Soon thereafter, Comstock began designing commercial buildings in the same style. The first of these was The Tuck Box.

Today, The Tuck Box is a restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea. Visitors can also buy products to take home as souvenirs. The Tuck Box sells jams, tea, pastry mixes and cereal in unique packaging.

The Tuck Box is located on Dolores Street. It is open seven days per week from 7:30 am through early afternoon.