Spent the weekend in the Bay Area looking at some boats. Haven't been there in about 10 years and not much has seemed to change, maybe a little more expansion in the Southern area.
Traffic was almost a pleasure compared to the Seattle area, people used blinkers, moved right accept to pass, kept moving and didn't perform a couple brake checks when getting ready to merge onto the freeway. I heard of one accident, but can't confirm as I didn't see a single accident all weekend. The food was fantastic, I don't think you can find a bad restaurant in San Fran. No matter what type of espresso you order, you get a latte, a bad one. Lots of dirty, patchouli oil wearing, smelly hippies everywhere and apparently more Pro-Obama stickers and signs than the combined population, now I understand why you seem so disgruntled at times.
Swung through Oakland on the way to Alameda and decided I should do my best to blend in so I dent pulled a 76 Jaguar xj6 with a thumpin' stereo and grabbed a can of orange spray paint to tag some freeway signs on 880, all in all a pretty good weekend, might even return sometime soon.
You really don't have it so bad Hank.

I'm actually going to be down there next weekend.

That's right, I have to organise an ACORN Eco-Lesbian Terror cell in Hank's neighbourhood, perform several 3rd trimester abortions on unwilling christian women, and assist the Obama Administration impose Sharia Law and confiscate all firearms.

You're right about a few things:
Washington Drivers suck.
Washington Freeways suck.

The food down there's to die for. Especially in Chinatown.
You can't get decent coffee in California.

Did you stop at Fenton's?

'neighbourhood'

Irie - interesting "canadianesque" way of spelling neighborhoods. Are you secretly a hoser?

I agree with most of you're post, except the traffic...I have spent a good amount of time down there and seen a lot of traffic congestion all over the Gay Bay area.

Those aren't Washington drivers they are transplants.....mostly from Cal. Probably wandering around aimlessly looking for something else to ruin.

WTF?

My biggest complaint would have to be that Homeland Security stole my toothpaste and shaving cream (bastards). Somehow it's not safe on our airlines any longer (maybe I should switch brands), but it is safe in a plastic container next to the x-ray booth. On second thought, maybe one of the smelly hippies works close by the security gauntlet and they were hoping to come up with enough hygiene products for a nice gift basket.

When Shariah Law goes in effect down there, can I start loppin' off the sticky fingers in HSA or do I need some sort of clerical order? Not sure if due process is useful any longer.

Hankster-

I've lost all hope for you - you do know what they put in those Obama brownies, don't you?

Didn't make to Fenton's, was pretty busy. I did get a chance to hit a Chinese restaurant that was in the middle of a wedding feast(that's where you want to be). Had a nice half roasted duck, smoked oolong seabass with some rice and garlic steam pea shoots, very nice. I made a pig of myself.

Bad coffee? I thought Peet's is alright everywhere I found it. I tried a couple Italian restaurants near my hotel and was very satisfied. Seafood at Fisherman's Wharf was good. It seems like a good town to eat in. Traffic is bad during the commute, just like Seattle, Boston, DC, any major metro area I suppose. CA drivers seem to handle bad traffic better than we do. After all, they invented it, so maybe all the experience helped.

Sg

Last time I was in CA traffic I watched a guy on a BMW GS Adventure put his fist through the passenger-side mirror of a Dodge Ram that got a little too close as the guy on the bike cut between lanes in heavy traffic. The look on the guy in the trucks face was classic. The guy on the bike flipped him the bird as he rode on.

After that I kept a close eye what was coming up along side.

I hit Peet's and ordered a tall mocha cappucino and got my first California latte instead. Peet's does roast a good bean though.

I went North on 101 from Brisbane into downtown Friday evening (standard commute hours) before a Giants game, didn't have any trouble until I got into town. Maybe I was just lucky that I was going north, or maybe nobody in SF really cares about the Giants.

Chuck!

stay on track with the program - you need to have a pole dancing sheep/goat to complete the insult.

Hankster, I think the critics secretly love the hood. The traffic down here on 80 and 101 during commute can be rough but not for any great duration except get away days. The traffic on 5 in the Seattle are can be off the hook, it can go on for hours... I say get on the island and stay there. The only traffic is when the ferry arrives.

+1000000000 WA has conered the market on shitty drivers.

Washington drivers are pretty hesitant, and sometimes overly polite, leading to everyone tooling around slowly waiting for the other guy to go first...causes more fender benders and traffic jams than anything else.

That being said, someone from Oregon complaining about drivers is a pretty weird thing to see...maybe you're too close to it to see the swerving and speed up, slow down, that I see every time in Portland.

Fish on...

Todd

I remember when you rarely saw brake lights on the freeway. Then the Californians started their massive migration.
Drivers not used to wet roads + rain = instant traffic jam.

Plus there's that "maintain the tailgate" attitude. Brake...gas...brake...gas...brake....

If it wasn't for the influx of Californians the Dems wouldn't be the party in power in Washington State.

Somebody hasn't looked up past governors of our state.