Taylor Swift better watch her step the next time she and boyfriend Travis Kelce head to one of their favorite getaways.
Because in the coastal California city of Carmel-by-the-Sea, wearing a pair of Louboutins from her 250-pair collection could land the pop star on the wrong side of the law.
For the enclave – that saw Doris Day retire there and had Clint Eastwood as mayor in the 1980s – has a bizarre municipal code making it illegal to walk in high heels without a permit.
Created in 1963, the rule is meant to prevent injuries caused by uneven sidewalks -and avoid any lawsuits.
‘It’s a real thing,’ Mayor Dale Byrne tells the Daily Mail.
‘We don’t really go around arresting people for walking around in high heels… but it’s a fun relic from the past.’
And it’s not the only eccentric fact about this billionaires’ playground…
The stunning white sands of Carmel-by-the-Sea make it one of the most attractive beaches in California
Doris Day lived in a luxurious estate in Carmel for many years. She purchased the property in the mid-1970s and retired there. The home’s spiral staircase featured in her TV show
Doris Day on the iconic staircase in her Carmel home that featured on her TV show
Clint Eastwood’s home in Carmel is seen above. He was mayor of the city in the 1980s
Dirty Harry actor Clint Eastwood became mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea in 1986
In fact, this quaint coastal resort is as famous for its quirky controversies as its famous faces over the years.
High-profile visitors have included Monaco billionaire Patrice Pastor and it is also a favorite of former president Barack Obama
Actor Brad Pitt is also a fan of the area and bought a $40million bachelor pad there in 2022.
However, just because the city is filled with stars, that doesn’t mean everyone knows who’s who. Pitt, 61, was recently turned away from high-end bistro La Bicyclette when he showed up with girlfriend Ines de Ramon, 32, without a reservation.
Restaurant owner Gabe Georis, 47, recalls: ‘He was wearing a baseball cap and dark glasses and the hostess, who was a young girl, didn’t recognize him. He had sent his girlfriend up to ask for the table. So he got turned away.
Small stores along the sidewalk in Carmel. High-profile visitors to the city have included Monaco billionaire Patrice Pastor and it is also a favorite of former president Barack Obama
Its famous fans include Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift who visited the tiny city in California while attending Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (pictured) last year
‘It wasn’t until he was, you know, halfway up the block that somebody made us aware of who it was. And by that time it was too late.’
The restaurant was also the site of a ‘big hubbub’ last year when Swift and Kelce came for dinner with their friends, supermodel Gigi Hadid and actor Bradley Cooper.
Georis tells the Daily Mail that the group was ‘really nice with the staff’, adding: ‘Sometimes that’s not the case.
‘They came in through the back and we kept them off to the side. When they left, they had the guy drive around the corner to wave at our staff and say thanks, which was a nice little gesture.’
Van Morrison is also among the musicians to have eaten at the restaurant, with Georis joking: ‘He’s a little bit more my style.’
Other celebrity visitors include Brad Pitt and his girlfriend Ines de Ramon, who were recently turned away from the high-end bistro La Bicyclette
Carmel’s popularity surged in 1906 after the 7.9-magnitude earthquake in San Francisco flattened parts of the city and forced citizens to flee
Carmel has been dubbed the ‘Texan Riviera’ due to its popularity with wealthy families from the Lone Star State
Carmel Mayor Dale Byrne, 70,was elected in November and has vowed to ’empower’ staff and make the city safer
While it’s now a discreet playground for the uber-wealthy, the city had humble beginnings as a tiny seaside resort.
At the beginning of the 20th century, real estate moguls Frank Powers and James Devendorf formed the Carmel Development Company with a vision of transforming the area into a bohemian community with a European feel.
But it wasn’t until 1906 that Carmel’s popularity surged after the 7.9-magnitude earthquake in San Francisco flattened parts of the city and forced citizens to flee.
A number of artists settled in Carmel, with notable early residents including painter Salvador Dali and novelist Robert Louis Stevenson.
Nowadays the so-called ‘village in the forest’ is filled with narrow streets, courtyards and cottages, while sidewalks, streetlights and traffic lights are notably absent.
Despite measuring just one square mile, the city has more than 40 art galleries, 60 restaurants and 40 hotels.
And the artists’ impact lives on through the street names – or lack of. ‘One of the legends about why we don’t have street addresses is because artists wanted to hide out here and not have people find them,’ Mayor Byrne, 70, says.
As well as his predecessor Eastwood, who was elected mayor in 1986, other former residents include Hollywood star Joan Fontaine and the recently deceased Gene Hackman.
It is especially popular as a vacation home hotspot for wealthy families from the Lone Star State. So much so, that locals have jokingly dubbed Carmel the ‘Texan Riviera’.
Monaco-based billionaire developer Patrice Pastor amassed a $100million – and counting – real estate portfolio after first discovering Carmel and the Monterey Peninsula on a family vacation
Pastor bought his oceanfront home, pictured, for $22million in 2022
In recent years, the city has grown even more thanks to Monaco-based billionaire developer Pastor. He first discovered Carmel and the Monterey Peninsula on a family vacation and bought a $22million oceanfront house there in 2022.
‘I love Carmel and am happy to have a home there,’ Pastor, 51, tells the Daily Mail. ‘It is such a unique small town in America, a village really, with a soul and beautiful architecture.’
However Pastor, who is known for his feud with Monaco’s Prince Albert II, has been accused of staging a landgrab there with his burgeoning $100million – and counting – real estate portfolio
Defending himself, he pledged ‘to protect Carmel’s unique history and character’, adding: ‘This is why we will never build modern architecture in the village.
‘I’m sure there are a lot of things here to improve, but it’s always in my mind to be very careful with the community and the history.’
A discreet playground for the uber-wealthy today, the city had humble beginnings. Its popularity increased in 1906 as a thriving colony for artists
Doris Day the balcony of her house in Carmel waving to her fans on her birthday on April 3, 2016
The full scale of Doris Day’s sweeping staircase is seen in her Carmel home in this clip from her TV show
Clint Eastwood is pictured above during his time as mayor of the city
And that is not the only rift to impact the city. Back in 1986, the normally quiet community made headlines over reports of a ban on ice cream cones due to strict policies on property planning and take-out food packaging.
The media frenzy was dubbed the ‘ridiculous ice cream cone fiasco’ with then-mayor Eastwood eventually amending the planning guidelines to be ‘pro’ ice cream.
More recent arrivals to Carmel have also fought against the lack of street names and addresses, claiming it could delay emergency responders and delivery services.
Do these quirky controversies have any impact on the locals, however? The answer seems to be a resounding no.
Realtor Gin Weathers, 72, tells the Daily Mail the city has an ‘interesting energy’.
Weathers moved to Carmel from Los Angeles 30 years ago after marrying the city’s former postmaster.
‘I just got involved in the community and I felt welcomed at every turn,’ she says. ‘There’s just a sort of an undercurrent of creativity here.’
But that’s not to say she supports all the city’s bizarre rules.
The realtor said she stopped wearing stilettos after moving to Carmel ‘because the streets and sidewalks are not exactly even’.
If you’re willing to risk it, she adds, then permits can be acquired at City Hall.
If you’re willing to risk your stilettos, then permits can be acquired at City Hall
British-born sommelier Toby Rowland-Jones, pictured, has lived in Carmel for 13 years and owns Carmel Wine and Wandering
British-born sommelier Toby Rowland-Jones, 70, has lived in Carmel for 13 years and owns a walking tour and wine tasting company, Carmel Wine and Wandering.
He also describes Carmel as ‘a very friendly place’, adding: ‘When you’re hospitality-oriented as a community, people tend to be friendlier.’
Realtor Tim Allen, 64, who was born and raised in Carmel, points out the ‘raw beauty’ of the location. ‘There’s no pollution and very little crime,’ he says.
Pointing out that a lot of homes there are vacation properties for rich residents, he adds: ‘We get some of the wealthiest in the world. There are multiple billionaires that own here that we work with all the time.
‘A lot of them are well known and want privacy, seclusion and a compound where they can bring their friends and family.’
Visiting billionaires include Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who reportedly parks his $80million Gulfstream jet in Monterey Regional Airport when he visits.
Allen has also shown Pitt properties for sale and says Obama even stayed at a friend’s house.
Carmel realtor Tim Allen tells the Daily Mail: ‘We get some of the wealthiest in the world’
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is among the famous visitors to the coastal resort, pictured
Roxanne Langer, co-owner of LadySomm wine store, moved to Carmel in 2021
One of the mayor’s goals is to improve access ramps along the beach and other infrastructure which have ‘been neglected for far too long’
Roxanne Langer, 63, moved to Carmel in January 2021 and is co-owner of the LadySomm wine store in the Barnyard Shopping Village.
While she praises the city’s ‘charms’, she admits there are other frustrations – particularly regarding the lack of addresses.
‘Trying to get internet to a house that has no address was a bit tricky when I first moved,’ she says. ‘I finally called the fire department and asked what reference they use for calls.
‘And it’s not just me – seeing your neighbors outside flagging down a lost Amazon truck or a new plumber is a common sight.
‘But our deck surrounds a beautiful old redwood tree and we can hear the waves crashing at night, so the charm of the town makes it worth it.’
It’s all part of the action plan for Mayor Byrne who was elected in November.
His main goal is to ’empower’ city staff and leadership and make Carmel safer and more sustainable.
Access ramps along the beach and other infrastructure have ‘been neglected for far too long’ while fixing the sidewalks is also underway.
But, when it comes to visitors, his arms are always open.
‘Come here and I’ll take you out for a drink and we’ll have a good time,’ he tells me.
No doubt we’ll both be wearing sensible shoes.
