The film Flight over a cuckoo’s nest, released in 1975, starred Louise Fletcher as the antagonist role of Nurse Ratched. The tyrannical, rigid and orderly nurse left many of us wondering about the life of this fictional character before McMurphy’s fate mingled with Ratched’s. Where did she come from and what could have led to her tendencies?
Fortunately for the fans, the ratchet series released in 2020 tells the backstory of Mildred Ratched’s work at the asylum. Ratched is played by Sarah Paulson this time around. The show takes place in the town of Lucia, located in Monterey County, California. While filming took place in various parts of California, the focus is on Lucia.
So catch up on the series if you haven’t seen it yet, then plan to visit these six ratchet filming locations that you can visit in real life.
1. Lucie
The show is set in the 1940s in Lucia, California, a small village south of Monterey. The town of Lucia owes its name to the surrounding mountains of Santa Lucia. Located along the notoriously beautiful and winding Highway 1, Lucia is a small community that consists of a hotel, restaurant, and gas station.
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2. Sealight Inn, Lucia Lodge, Big Sur
In the first episode, we see Ratched checking in at the Sealight Inn, where she will be living during the series.
The Sealight Inn is actually the Lucia Lodge built in the 1930s by the Harlan family and is still run by 5th generation Harlans. The motel has 10 cabins and rooms, located on a bluff 300 feet above the Pacific Ocean. The breathtaking views overlook the bay on one side and face the Santa Lucia Mountains on the other side. Adjacent to Highway 1, the hotel has a gift shop and an indoor or outdoor restaurant with a panoramic terrace to enjoy the ocean view.
The rates aren’t cheap for what looks like a roadside motel, but considering there’s no other hotel for miles and the views are worth the price, it’s well worth it. ” to be visited to see where an important part of the place ratchet was filmed.
3. Toro Place Café, Salinas
During the first episode, Nurse Ratched stops on Lucia’s way at the Toro Place Cafe. The Toro Place Cafe is a roadside stop that’s been a local favorite for over 70 years. The location is small, but you can dine inside at a table or row of bar stools or sit outside on the terrace.
The Toro Place Cafe is a popular breakfast and lunch spot that serves American cuisine in what was once a gas station. They are known for their El Toro burger which includes Ortega chili and jack cheese. The chili covers the plate, so you’ll probably want to eat the burger with a fork. Or stop by for breakfast, but be sure to arrive before 11:30 am when the Little Kitchen moves on to the lunch menu.
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4. The fish hopper, Cannery Row
Nurse Ratched and Gwendolyn Briggs (played by Cynthia Nixon) enjoy oysters at Fish Hopper. In the second episode, the romantic setting above the water has Briggs hand-feeding Ratched Oysters while sipping cocktails at the restaurant.
Located along Cannery Row, directly on the water’s edge, The Fish Hopper was once a sardine cannery. Savor their award-winning clam chowder, certified Angus steaks, and plenty of sustainable seafood like fresh Monterey Bay Abalone. As part of its quest to serve sustainable seafood, The Fish Hopper is partnering with the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program.
To create your own romantic dinner, start with oysters like Ratched did, or try the succulent Dungeness Crab Stuffed Mushrooms topped with Lemon Butter White or their famous clam chowder. For the main course, swordfish, grilled with artichoke hearts, spinach, tomatoes and mushrooms, and served with Yukon Gold potatoes in saffron broth, is delicious. A simple but succulent dessert is the cup of chocolate mousse, a chocolate shell with caramel on the bottom and topped with chocolate mousse.
5. Big Sur Grange Room
In episode two, Briggs leads Ratched to a secluded women’s bar in the woods. The scene was shot at Big Sur Grange Hall located in Big Sur. The California Big Sur Grange Division of the National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry, a fraternal organization, was established in 1948. The cabin served as a center of community activity and was the ideal location for the underground reunion in the drink.
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6. Bixby Creek Bridge
The Bixby Creek Bridge also makes an appearance. As Ratched enters Lucia, wide shots show both the Bixby Creek Bridge and the Big Sur Coast. The scenery alone is the reason many people visit Monterey County each year.
One of the most photographed bridges in California, its pleasing design lends itself well to the atmosphere of the series and provides a sense of place. Also known as the Bixby Canyon Bridge, it consists of an open spandrel arch bridge. The bridge opened in 1932 to ease road blockages on the sometimes impassable Old Coast Road during the winter months.
Professional advice
Other filming locations in California include the King Gillette Ranch in Malibu Creek as the location for the exterior of the Lucia Estate Mental Hospital. Lenore Osgood’s Home, played by Sharon Stone, was shot at Dawnridge, Tony Duquette’s former home in Beverly Hills. Several scenes were filmed in Los Angeles at the San Pedro Municipal Building, Cole’s French Dip, Tony’s Saloon, Guido’s Restaurant and the Union Theater, among others. The Adamson House in Malibu was replaced with the Hotel in Mexico at the end of Season 1.
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