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.

Jerry,

Not true. The Dems have long been dominant in WA, since well before the Californicator mass migration of the 80s.

Todd made the right call. WA drivers have long been overly courteous - after you, no, after you, no I insist, after you, which has become a mess with CA assertive, but disciplined freeway driving style: merge or die, bastages!, combined with drivers from Chicago, Boston, and a few other aggressive sorts - it's no wonder traffic's a mess.

I remember the idiocy, but it was so normal, a WA driver would stop at a stoplight at an intersection and wait for the green even at 3:00 AM in the morning, and there wasn't another car for miles. Same with pedestrians - would wait for the walk signal when there was no traffic. The outsiders who immirated here got us over that, but now there is always traffic around, so running red lights doesn't seem to be working out as well as intended.

Sg

i drive all day long and i cant stand the drivers here....cali is way better for drivers...and it has been confirmed to me lately, they dont teach kids to use thier turn signals in drivers training...i dont think they have taught that in at least the last 20 years in wa....or people would just not have a problem using em i would think....i think it is a requirement not to use it and to drive very poorly here....

i second todd being right about the WA drivers have long been overly courteous - after you, no, after you, no I insist, after you....stupid people....just GO!!!! people like that have had to of caused accidents, or if they havent they should have had a crap load of close calls to stop doing it!!

im glad i dont have to drive when i get off work.....nothing really bothers me anymore in my work truck, but when i get off work i have no paitence for stupid people....think you have seen it all??? move to washington....hahhahha...i know i havent now....hahhahah...c

Right. Those people were all NATIVE californians I bet.

the diversity in food in cali is second to none IMO, and im sure a few other peoples....i loved Roberts China Garden in Benicia, a little town outside of SF....and the Burritto trucks....i only see those in Eastern Wa now...c

Aunty wait until the LWWJ's get ahold of your "log truck" comment

Been to the Herb Farm...very good. The Sooke Harbor House in Sooke is one of the best in the world. My Ex was a Chef and knew the owners..they would send their diver in the water just hours before dinner...pricey as hell but something you should do at least once in a life time.

Jeeze KK, with dining habits like that one might get the impression that you must be one of those wealthy bastards that democrats are suppose to hate.

Even though she was old I'm still impressed that at one point you liked women.....and in San Fran ta boot.

Why?.....are you lookin' for a free night without the usual baggage...perhaps a new conquest at the senior center?

I wouldn't go near SlowVsLame for so many reasons. I would consider Blades' wife, if that really was her in those photos YAY!

Coming froma fag that's good to know.....

Don't forget the hickory shirt

Racist and homophobic - do you fence stolen goods as well? It really would complete the package. Stop denying who you are and visit the Castro district in SanFran, they have just your kind of 'eats' there

I'm not a homophope I just don't like aerobics......

...And quit worrying about my package......

Except the attire......

Back to Carharts and Hickory shirts....

Aunty,

The fare at a 'tilla is amazing, but ya' have to measure with a different yardstick when comparing to great eateries, whether here or SF. Same with the campfire. I think Stam's got the Aurora Borealis in his eyes this week.

Sg

God knows I have spent a lot of money in places way out of my financial league. I too can put some fine eats together myself but nothing compares to the meals i have had in elk camps and a few afloat in the San Juan islands. Company and circumstance are major ingredients to a fine meal and simply cant be bought.

I doubt you carry more than a postage stamp. You can still be useful in the Castro though! YAY!