You may be familiar with Carmel-by-the-Sea, a tiny, old world village near the Pacific Ocean where you can sample chocolates or hunt for Jane Austen novels in cottages plucked straight from a fairy tale. But understated Carmel Valley, which stretches inland to the east where it’s substantially warmer, deserves its own visit. Fair warning: You may find yourself staying a while. Carmel Valley isn’t “wine country,” as many believe — it’s much more low-key than that. It’s an expanse of farmland influenced by the cold ocean coming off the Monterey Bay and warm winds from the surrounding Santa Lucia Mountains, giving way for beautiful scenery dotted with indie businesses. Once a place where cowboys and ranchers would venture to refill their provisions, the valley retains a distinct cowboy culture, especially in the charming downtown known as Carmel Valley Village. Not overly developed, and definitely not over-hipsterfied, the area has become a hideaway for solace-seeking Angelenos. You never know if recently-made-local Brad Pitt will be popping into dive bar Running Iron, a Carmel Valley staple. About …