2013 WEEKEND IN PACIFICA
Lee's good work buddy Chuck Ursa was getting married in Pacifica in early November so we decided to take a fun get-away. We stayed at the Lighthouse Inn in Pacifica which was right on the ocean with incredible views of the coastline. We flew into San Francisco on Friday evening and rented a car to drive to Pacifica only 20 minutes away. We stopped for a late snack & beers at Nick's right next to the hotel.
Since the wedding wasn't until 5pm we had all day Saturday to explore. We drove north along Highway 1 to the northern tip of the SF penninsula to an historic place for brunch called The Cliff House. It's a landmark restaurant with a grand history going back to the 1890's. They even had a cool coffee bar with an old wood ship's bow maiden mounted to the wall. We tried their famous Pop-Overs with jams and even bought a baking kit to take home. Crab & avocado omelette was too big for one so we shared it. The weather was clear but cold (50F) and breezy so we were both bundled up to stay warm. The coastline is rough with huge rocks, rolling surf, and blowing winds.
After brunch we drove east towards San Francisco's famous Fisherman's Wharf. On the way we stopped at a vantage spot with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background, although the morning fog was so thick that the top of the bridge was covered. Then we parked near Pier 39 and explored the many shops. There were food vendors everywhere and the freshly caught & steamed Dungeoness Crabs were piled high to see. At the end of the pier we got a good view of Alcatraz Island and the hundreds of sea lions on the floating barges making noise & stinking up the place. We walked over to Castagnola's for a tasty lunch. A full size Dungeoness Crab with Lobster Bisque soup & their homemade Sourdough bread filled us both up nicely.
By 5pm Saturday we were cleaned-up & dressed-up for Chuck & Brynn's wedding. It was held on the beach overlooking the Pacific Ocean at sunset. Simply stunning! After the half-hour wedding vows we headed over to their reception at the Surf Spot for drinks, dinner, dancing, and relaxing with the other guests.
Sunday morning we drove south along Highway 1 towards Half Moon Bay. We stopped for Sunday Brunch at the historic Moss Beach Distillery. This old place was used during Prohibition as a drinking house and claims to have a ghost that roams the restaurant called the Lady in Blue. It's told that she was murdered on the beach in front of the restaurant in a lover's quarrel and now has chosen the restaurant to live out her life. The view from the front room is spectacular overlooking the Pacific with an old cottage below. For brunch we drank our fill of the bottomless Mimosa's and both ordered the Coastal Crab Cake Benedict with avocado, homestyle potatoes & fresh fruit. Delicous!
After a huge brunch we took a walk down the street to a long staircase to the beach below. The Fitzgerald Marine Reserve is a long rough beach with a steep incline that was cold & breezy. The view was amazing with the towering cliffs & scenic windswept pine trees. The beach was littered with red seaweed washed ashore by the surf.