2014 Deb's WEST COAST Drive 10 - Devil's Slide and Beyond

Suzi called to announced I should ditch the rent-a-car today, as James would be the early bird hero and drive me to the airport for my pre-dawn departure tomorrow. Phfew! That was one stress off my mind regarding the trip home.

The coast towns of Pescadero, San Gregorio, HMB, El G, Princeton, Montara, and Moss Beach were sprinkled along Highway One up to Devil's Slide. The Slide is an area north of all them. It used to be the least reliable of two roads from the coastside towns to the more populous part of the peninsula where most people worked. We traveled each day from home to the SFO airport--only about 20 miles, but about 45 minutes in time.

The slide area was prone to rock and mud slides and total "implosion" into the ocean on a few occasions. I remember one time when Mike and I were driving separately to work. As I drove by the area I noticed a few pebbles trickling down the rock side toward the ocean and thought to myself "I've never seen that before!"

By the time Mike arrived in his car, a few scant minutes later, boulders and  rubble had spilled down the hill to completely block the highway. To get to work, he had to turn back round to our alternate route on Hwy-92. Devil's Slide was closed down several months after that for repair. 

Now 11 years later, Cal-DOT had drilled two traffic tunnels inland and through the mountain. This would avoid constant closures and maintenance and a reliable route for travelers into Pacifica and beyond to San Francisco. The project was completed earlier this year. The original, abandoned roadway was replaced by a park and narrower bike-walk trail. I didn't see that, but here is the tunnel.

Rather than driving directly to the Kennedy compound, Suzi met me at the Kiss-And-Fly lot near where I returned the rent-a-car. We cruised to her place and proceeded to chatter at 100 miles per hour while sipping from a bottle of wine that Suzi had saved for a special occasion.

Had we really been gone for 11 years? It seemed like only yesterday that Suzi and I worked for United at res and then the airport. She was my first real girlfriend on "west bank" and a mighty cherished one. There are so many work and personal stories I could tell about this cute little red-head and her debonair hubby (looks soooo good in a tux), but I'll save those for another time.

James and Suz had done a lot of reno/redecorating since our last visit--new windows; new mixed verde green granite in the kitchen; new rich caramel-colored granite, luxury shower and heated floors in the bathroom; colorful paint throughout the house; and "evergreen-no fret grass and glass pebble landscaping outside. And, James had presented Suzi with a fit-for-a-queen settee lounger. Just perfect! Wished I had gotten her photo on it.

Jamesie freshen up after work, while Suzi (always the hair dresser and most up-to-date on product) gave me a mousse treatment to brighten up my gray to silver. I was transformed from drab to dramatic in a split second!

Now that James was in chill mode, we tippled a couple more. Then off to a new (for me) San Francisco restaurant, Aziza (website).

An aside: This was the first time EVER that James did not get a parking spot within a few feet of the restaurant door, but he dropped us off and we snagged a good table. 

The place has a Bohemian look--bright and rich colors, arches, private cubby-hole seating, and lighting that is reminiscent of old candle chandeliers.

The chef was born in Marrakesh so the menu has a Moroccan flair. Foods were colorful, with interesting blends of spices, a nice selection for veg-heads, and delightful presentations.

We shared a pita and 4-dip appi. James chose seared ahi tuna, Suzi tried the beef cheeks (and loved them), and I scarfed down the vegetable "shavings" over couscous. Of course, a red wine was sipped between bites. Dessert was chocolate truffles ... served on a rock. Rock on!!!

And moving on ... James gives the best San Francisco tours of anyone I know (including any tour company around). When he is the driver of an outing, there is always an engaging driving trek with something new included. He did not let me down this evening.

After dinner it was dark, so we enjoyed the City lights as he tip-toed through the traffic. We passed City Hall and the Asian Museum where Suzi works part-time. He braved the famous and steep 1-block downhill Lombard Street, consisting of eight tight hairpin turns. Even under the dark of night photographers were standing at its side taking photos of the heavy traffic.

We cruised along the Embarcadero and stopped for a brief moment to snap shots of the spectacular Bay Lights art installation. It extends 1.8 miles of the west span of the Bay Bridge, is 500 feet high at its peak, and is comprised of 25,000 individually programmed white LED lights. It shines from dusk to dawn in a never repeating pattern. Read more about the project here (website).

Soon after that we headed home, wrapped up the chat, and had a bit of an early to-bed. We all had to get up early-early on the morrow.