We are off to our favorite place on the San Mateo Coast - Franklin Point. Let’s hope it is not fog bound this time. According to the weather forecast, it looks as though Santa Cruz will be clear and bright but there is fog at Half Moon Bay. Franklin Point is between the two, so we will just have to take a chance.
(Click on the image for a larger version)
The journey to Santa Cruz was more or less mundane until we were headed down the mountain on the other side of Scotts Valley on Highway 17. Suddenly I saw a car on the other side of the road fly into the air and crash into the trees at the side of the road. Tom saw the dust but not the car. I was really shaken up but there was nothing we could do as there was a concrete barrier down the middle of the road. I looked behind and there were cars stopping so knew someone would be calling 911. I just couldn’t get the image out of my mind and was really concerned about the driver and any passengers there may have been in the car. I knew I would be worrying all day.
We drove into Santa Cruz for breakfast - see previous entry - and were back on the road again by 7.40. Our route took us back to Highway 1 where we turned north.
Just outside Santa Cruz we saw signs up warning of a bike race and soon we saw the cyclists. We passed a lot of them between Santa Cruz and Davenport. Most of them were serious competitors with their super bikes, Lycra gear, cool shades and space age helmets. Some were making light work of the hills and some seemed to be struggling. At the front of the cyclists were three motor cycle cops. I wonder how far they are going.
It must be getting close to October and the pumpkin season. We passed several pumpkin patches being made ready. In one there was already a huge display of pumpkins all waiting to be picked out by excited children, although, of course, it was not open at 8 a.m.
Oh no! We can see fog ahead. This looks like a repeat of our aborted visit last month when the weather was too bad to even walk to the beach. Maybe it will clear - always the optimist.
We stop at Big Basin Redwoods State Park where the redwoods come all the way down to the coast. Tom wanted to take photos of the fog over the creek and maybe the brown pelicans taking a rest in the lagoon on the beach. I stay in the car and write.
Here the sun is shining which is really weird as we are surrounded by fog. Out on the ocean I can vaguely see the die hard surfers waiting patiently to catch a wave. The sea doesn’t look high today so maybe they are just beginners.
Tom has now left the creek and has made his way across Highway 1 to the lagoon. There are several pelicans on the water but now dozens are on the sand and more fly in to join them. I guess this must be their meeting place every morning where they catch up with all the gossip.
I’ve been siting here 15 minutes and here come the three motor cycle cops and not far behind the first two cyclists appear. I guess we are going to have a bit of trouble getting away from here. Tom is making his way back to the car. Maybe we can get away before the bulk of them arrive. I can’t see any more coming at the moment. We were able to make our escape. As we turned back onto the road I could see a few cyclists coming down the hill behind us.
We pass Costanoa and pull into the parking strip near the tree stump., There is one van already there and three surfers are getting ready to walk to the beach. As I get out of the car I can smell the sea. Mmmm.
I set off first. Yes it is foggy but it is not as bad or as cold as the last time so we decided to go for it. At the top first rise I paused as I could see on the path ahead a mother deer and her young fawn. Both lifted their heads and looked at me. I would have waited until they decided to move away but at that moment two of the surfers come by. The two deer trotted off down the path and I never saw them again.
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September 12 2008 | Special Places | No Comments »
We’ve decided to be a bit more adventurous in our choice of where to eat breakfast in Santa Cruz. In the past we have always stopped at the Santa Cruz Diner. We did try somewhere different last time - the Nuevo Southwest Grill - so this time we went on online to find somewhere new. There was quite a choice. As we were going to be there by 7 a.m. we wanted to find one that opened early. Seabreeze Cafe on Seabright Avenue filled the bill.
It opened at 7 and we were there at about 6.50. We stayed in the car; Tom started to read the paper and I observed. The Seabreeze Cafe looks as though it has been around for some time. No way it could be called pretentious. Better adjectives would be homely and welcoming. Out the front were potted plants and along the side a veranda with hanging baskets and benches. There was a table already set up with coffee pots and a sign saying to bring your mug inside for it to be added to the bill. There was already one customer waiting.
The doors opened before 7 and by the time we walked in there were already three other tables occupied. Inside it is very small. No booths, just wooden table and chairs. It is a very friendly place and everybody seems to know each other.
Service was quick. In the twinkling of an eye Tom had his coffee. It was served in a white mug with the name of the cafe on the outside along with their logo. The menu is not very large but there is a board up on the wall with specials. Tom was tossing up whether to have Huevos Rancheros or the grilled mahi mahi with eggs. He went for the former ($8.95) and I ordered the oatmeal with raisins, nuts and bananas ($4.50).
Nothing about this place is what I would call modern. I wouldn’t call it retro or old fashioned either. The description I would use would be dated and quaint. There are a number of photos on the wall that look as if they were taken in Death Valley.
Our food arrived shortly, so not much time for writing. Tom’s plate was fall to overflowing. On top were slices of avocado. As Tom doesn’t care for avocados, I took them off his plate and enjoyed them.
My oatmeal came in a round bowl on an oval plate. The sugar was in a plastic container on the plate as was a small stainless jug of milk. A slice of orange and a sprig of parsley were added as decoration. The raisins and nuts were cooked in the oatmeal and it looked like a whole banana had been sliced on the top. It was hot and delicious. Tom also enjoyed his Huevos Rancheros.
The restroom was outside. Always a bit dubious of those but this one was pretty good. It was bright, clean and the water was hot. On the wall was a cork board covered in postcards from all over the world sent by customers on their vacations. I sat and read a few to see how old they were. The oldest was dated 2005 and the latest was April this year. Wished I could have read more but conscious this was the only restroom and there might be people waiting outside.
Our verdict - the food and service is first class and we recommend it. Two words of warning - the car park is small and it is difficult to get out of, so park on the street if possible. Also get there early. When we left at 7.40 the place was packed and people were waiting outside.
September 08 2008 | Breakfast Log | No Comments »
Once again we headed for the coast. Last weekend we made the same journey but it was way too foggy. Our plan was to visit Franklin Point and go for breakfast at the Nuevo Southwest Grill in Santa Cruz afterward. When we arrived at Franklin Point, it was not only extremely foggy but very cold. We abandoned that plan and kept driving north. As the fog was still thick, we drove inland stopping at Duarte’s in Pescadero for breakfast and then driving home. It was a long way just for breakfast!
(Click on the images for larger versions)
When we set out conditions were clear and we remained optimistic but as we approached Santa Cruz we ran into fog. We headed for the wharf where we found a parking place. Although there was fog and we couldn’t see far out to sea, we could see the boardwalk behind us. It was not nearly as cold as last week so we took an early morning walk along the wharf.
Tom immediately started taking photos and I wandered around stopping to
look at things which caught my eye. My first stop was outside the Lifeguard Headquarters, where I studied the handwritten noticeboard outside. It contained all sorts of information about the air and water temperature, surf height, wind direction and velocity, swell direction, times of low and high tides and the UV rating and dangers. At the bottom was a Comments section and there was this interesting quote - “Understand happiness is not based on possessions, power or prestige, but on relationships with people you love and respect.” Profound words.
Behind me I could hear the bark of a sea lion so I took a walk across the road and looked over the guard rail. Down below on a pontoon were a harbor seal and two sea lions, one large one making all the noise and a smaller one. I watched them for a while before I set off again.
A small building attracted my attention. A sign outside said Venture Quest Kayaking. Outside were brightly colored kayaks stored in a wooden rack. In the window of the building were notices advertising prices and also details of their Nature Tours. The latter looked very interesting. Every weekend the tours start at 10 am, 1 pm and 5.30 pm. Single and double kayaks are available and the price of $55 includes all equipment, instruction and guides. Now that would be fun, especially to get up close to sea otters.
I heard the sound of voices and the creaking of machinery and headed back to the guard rail. A small fishing boat was being lowered into the water. Already on board was fishing equipment and as the boat bobbed on the water, four fishermen climbed in, unhooked the ropes that lowered the boat and set off into the fog for their days fishing. The boat rental company was doing great business as I watched three more sets of fishermen set out.
Back across the road I spotted a kiosk with a sign which said ‘Marcella Fishing Boat Memorial. On three sides, posted behind glass windows, was a series of 14 sheets of information giving the history of a small commercial fishing boat named Marcella which is displayed behind the kiosk. The history is written by Robert Podesta, who owned the boat for 30 years. There are several photos displayed as well. After reading all the history I went to look at the actual craft. It looked tiny, almost like a model. There was a small, glass cabin on the desk but the door was so small I’m sure only a child could have entered it.
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August 13 2008 | Special Places | No Comments »
The address is 2-1490 E. Cliff Drive. This is the restaurant Jane Baker recommended a couple of weeks ago. Finding it was a bit of a challenge. We tried to program the address into Mollie (our GPS) but the dash in the address did not show up. We found East Cliff Drive alright and drove all the way to where East Cliff becomes Seabright but no 2-1490, so we rang the restaurant to ask for directions. We told them where we were on Seabright and Murray and they told us they were on East Cliff and 15th Avenue but couldn’t tell us how to reach them from where we were. We went back to Mollie and put in 15th Avenue and eventually, with a few more wrong turns, we arrived at our destination.
The Nuevo Southwest Grill opens for brunch at 9 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. It was 9.15 when we arrived and were the first customers of the day. As the name suggests, it is a Mexican restaurant and we were greeted at the door by Mexican music. Tom needed a newspaper to read but there were no stands outside. He asked where he could find a newspaper to buy and was given a personal copy of the Santa Cruz Sentinel by one of the servers, which was extremely kind of her.
A first glance at the menu convinced me I wasn’t going to find any oatmeal and said as much to Tom. His reply was ‘What do you expect in a Mexican restaurant?” On closer inspection though I was surprised to see that they do, in fact, offer oatmeal - served with brown sugar and cinnamon - for $3.95. I also ordered toast ($1.50). Tom was gong to order from the menu but changed his mind when the server went through the specials. He finally ordered Chili Verde, eggs, beans and flour tortilla for $8.95.
The restaurant itself is a bright and cheery place. It is fairly large with a lower section and a slightly higher section. There are no booths at all, mostly wooden, Formica topped tables with wooden chairs with the exception of one wrought iron round table with four matching chairs just inside the restaurant.
Outside there is a small patio with three tables. The site is screened with a vine colored trellis and lined with little lights covered with orange, yellow and beige plastic covers. In daylight they don’t look too pretty but Tom assures me that at night they will give off an attractive glow.
On the walls inside there are a selection of canvasses, four of them framed, mostly of beach and coastal views but some of flowers and gardens. One of the framed paintings is very unusual. The frame itself is much larger than the picture inside and is a picture itself of a mountain and desert scene. Hanging from the ceiling are large bunches of dried hot chili peppers.
Now for the food. My oatmeal was served in a small, round deep bowl with the sugar already on the top. The bowl was on a round plate with a doily. Cinnamon had been sprinkled on top of the oatmeal and all over the plate and doily. I had to ask for some milk. The toast came without butter and jam and I also had to ask for them. The server was happy to get it but the portions, when they arrived in two, small, stainless steel bowls, were meager to say the least. At first the oatmeal appeared watery but it tasted very good. The toast was white - I normally have wheat toast but was not offered a choice - and very crisp. Even though it was difficult to stretch the butter and jam between the four slices of toast, the taste was excellent.
Tom’s chili verde came with two eggs, large cubes of pork covered in the chili verde sauce, pinto beans, a tortilla and salsa. His verdict on it - very good verging on fantastic.
Last, but not least, the restroom. After our last visit to a Mexican restaurant and their appalling restroom, I was a bit dubious but this one was vastly different. As soon as I opened the door I caught the welcome smell of potpourri. I’m guessing it came from the dried arrangement of grasses and seed heads in an urn on the wall. There were two flower pictures in there plus a flowering plant in a pot on a side table and, yes, it was a real plant and not artificial. The only criticism I have is that the water is no where near warm enough.
All in all, we enjoyed our visit to the Nuevo Southwest Grill. We can recommend the service and food and the surroundings were very pleasant.
Jane also mentioned the Farmers Market which is held just across the road on the Sunday so of course we paid a visit there as well. We took a walk round and sampled the pluots and blueberries (the first were a bit sharp but the blueberries were scrumptious). We did buy some fresh fish there - Coho salmon from Alaska - so we were very happy. Thank you Jane for your recommendation.
August 10 2008 | Breakfast Log | No Comments »
Tom and I usually stop here for breakfast when we are in Santa Cruz. It is open 24 hours, which means no matter how early we are we know we will get to eat.
The Santa Cruz Diner is your usual unpretentious diner, which is a few steps up from a Denny’s. The clientel is varied, to say the least, though at 6.30 there were not a lot of other customers there.
There are only booths and 15 seasts at the counter. We took a booth so we could keep an eye on our car with our bikes on the back.
Tom order a Porteguese Omelette ($7.69) and I had my usual oatmeal ($4.99) The price include toast and mixed fruit.
My oatmeal came in a medium sized round bowl on a large oval, white, plastic plate. The oatmeal looked watery and it lived up to expectations. It was also barely lukewarm. The fruit didn’t come in its own bowl which could be eaten with a fork or spoon but as large chunks of melon, oranges and pineapply. There was brown sugar and no raisins. Strangely there was no milk either so I had to ask for some. Apparently it is not served with milk so had to buy a glass of milk which cost an extra $1.89).
Tom’s omelette was hot - which is great - but he described the taste as ‘just OK’.
Our server could be best described as disinterested. As she could have been working since the night before, we’ll cut her some slack.
Because this is not part of a chain, the decor is not bland. The underlying theme is vaguely nautical - a life belt, surging pictures, fish sculptures - but the main attraction is the vast range of amusing signs. Here is a selection:
‘Be Nice or Go Away’
“Beware Pickpocket and Loose Women’
‘Dinner Choices - 1. Take Out 2. Leave It’
‘Drive Carefully. Watch Out for Old Horses, Blind Dogs and Unruly Kids’
At one end there is a juke box and hits from the 50’s and 60’s. were being played. Several times I had to stop myself from singing along.
I was not impressed with the restrooms. The Ladies was grubby and shabby. It could definitely do with a remodel. On top of that there was not one little touch to cheer the place up - no pictures on the walls, no whimsical items. Not even a vase of artificial flowers. The only reason we keep coming is because we know we will always be able to get breakfast.
June 23 2008 | Breakfast Log | 1 Comment »
We are off to our favorite place on the San Mateo Coast - Franklin Point. Let’s hope it is not fog bound this time. According to the weather forecast, it looks as though Santa Cruz will be clear and bright but there is fog at Half Moon Bay. Franklin Point is between the two, so we will just have to take a chance.
