Archive for February, 2009
Auntie Mame's Cafe, Scotts Valley, California
This was our third choice. Our first choice was the Summit Roadhouse on Highway 17 but when we walked in we were told that they were having trouble with the gas line and would not open for another hour. We’ll give it a try next time we come this way.
(Click on the image for a larger version)
Scotts Valley was just down the road so we decided to look there. The nearest place was Denny’s but that was a definite no no. Second nearest was Mollie’s Cafe but we thought it was on the right in the King’s Village Shopping Center. After driving all around the shopping center we couldn’t find it so went to search for somewhere else. Just down the road, on the corner of Mount Hermon Road and Scotts Valley Road, we spotted Auntie Mame’s Cafe. There was lots of parking right outside. It is a small, homely looking place.
Inside it is clean and bright, due to the many big windows – by the way they still have Valentine hearts on all the windows so it is easy to spot. There are no booths, just dark wooden tables and chairs and 7 stools up at the L-shaped counter.
We were told to sit where we liked. There were a few other customers, so not at all crowded. Our server was a pretty girl who was efficient but not overly friendly. The menu was large with lots of choices plus 7 specials written up on a couple of whiteboards. Tom chose the Joe’s Special $7.95 and I went for the oatmeal – served with raisins and seeds – for $3.50.
The decor is pleasing and not over the top. Apart from the hearts on the windows, there are several other decorations along the same line, with artificial red roses on the tables and a flashing pink heart behind the counter. The pictures on the wall are a mix of old advertisement posters and photos of the cafe and the immediate locale, including an aerial photo of Scotts Valley.
Our food arrived promptly. The plates were quite a bit smaller than most breakfast places we’ve been to but that is not a criticism. What we had was adequate. My oatmeal came in a small, round, deep bowl with the raisins and seeds (shelled sunflower seeds to be exact) already on top. The sugar was in a small paper cup and the milk in a cute stainless steel jug with a lid. The oatmeal was good – equal to Hobees but without the refill of course.
I had to ask the way to the restroom as there were no signs, but was impressed with it when I finally found it; apart from the overkill on the signs asking customers not to flush paper towels, etc. One sign would have been enough but there was one on the outside of the door and three inside and it was not a very big room. It was a nice room though. In the corner was a small round table with a huge flower decoration (artificial) on it. There was also another couple of artificial plants on top of the cistern, one a green plant and the other a hydrangea in a small pair of ceramic boots. I liked the pictures, if you could call them that, on the wall. They all had a beach theme. One was a scene painted on a small section of a picket fence and the other three were picture boxes. One other nice touch – a large red decorative candle on the wall.
The facilities were not brilliant and the sink was very small. To boot there was no hot water.
Our verdicts – Tom said his Joe’s Special was just OK but I enjoyed my oatmeal. On the whole it was an OK place but the atmosphere was a little subdued. We may go there again but we wouldn’t be in any great rush.
February 23 2009 | Breakfast Log | No Comments »
It has been over a month since we have done any day trips, due to a nasty cold that Tom has been suffering from and
San Gregorio Valley
several very wet weekends. This weekend is not going to be any dryer but as only scattered showers are forecast today, we decided to at least go for a drive.
We set off just before 7am, heading towards the coast. On the peaks of the Santa Cruz mountains there was a dusting of snow. There was a beautiful but ominous cloud suspended above. That must be the next storm moving in. We desperately need the rain though. After two dry winters, we welcome the rain but it has been a long time coming this year. It probably will not be enough,though, to prevent water rationing this summer. When it rains here it hopefully falls as snow over the Sierras and when that snow melts in the spring, it fills our reservoirs.
The sun was shining but the temperature only registered at 43 degrees F down in the valley. It is the sun shining on the clouds which made them look so beautiful.
We took Highway 85 to 280 and headed north. Near the Alpine Road exit, we caught sight of a partial rainbow but it disappeared before our eyes. Above us a hawk hovered, the sun making it look almost white. Just before we reached the Woodside exit the rain started to fall but only lasted a short while.
We took the scenic route to Highway 92 by turning off 280 at the Edgewood Road exit and turned left. As we drove back under the freeway, the view in front of us was glorious. Ahead was a heavily wooded slope, c0vered in pine trees and with small patches of flog clinging to the trees and filling the small dips. At Canada Road we turned right and drove past Filoli House (open Tuesday – Sunday) and the Pulgas Water Temple (open week days only). Neither were open but one day we will visit both.
Tom wanted to stop and take some photos but there were “No Parking At Any Time’ notices posted at regular intervals plus a high wire fence made it impossible to take a decent shot. Further along we did find a place to park where there was no fence. From there Tom had a good view down to Crystal Springs Reservoir, which is the source of San Francisco’s drinking water.
This section of Canada Road is closed to cars every Sunday for cyclists to have the road to themselves (apart from the odd roller skater). We once brought our bikes to Bike Sunday. It was great and we must come again. We will be taking part in the Strawberry Fields Forever charity bike ride in May so we may well come here again on our path to getting back into condition.
We turned left onto Highway 92 on the final stretch into Half Moon Bay. First we crossed the reservoir and then started the climb over the Coastal Range. Crossing Skyline Blvd we caught our first glimpse of the ocean.
The downhill section of the road into Half Moon Bay is always fascinating. There are so many interesting businesses along the way – Christmas tree farms, pumpkin patches (though at this time of the year there are no pumpkins to be seen), equestrian centers, plant nurseries, huge metal sculptures of animals and further along a lot animals carved out of wood, a winery (it used to be called Obester Winery but the name has changed to Nebbia Winery) and Spanish Town with it’s seven shops selling a variety of crafts.
We drove through the historic main street of Half Moon Bay but didn’t stop. There was nothing open. We were thinking of stopping for breakfast here but the Main Street Grill was not open (and it was gone 8 am!). Pescadero will be our breakfast destination. At the end of the street we turned left onto Highway 1 and enjoyed a glorious ride. The sun was shining, even though there were still those threatening clouds around, and the ocean was very calm with not one white cap to be seen. Everything was wet and dripping and lots of surface water on the road.
Just before San Gregorio State Beach we turned left on La Honda Road towards San Gregorio. We are taking another scenic route, this time into Pescadero. On the way we pass a couple of small trees covered in pink blossom. In San Gregorio, which is just a couple of houses and a rather quaint little store, we took a left on Stagecoach Road. Tom wanted to take a photo of the valley.
Along Stage Road heading into Pescadero
We drove back to San Gregorio, crossed La Honda Road and carried on along Stagecoach Road, passing the old stage post on our right and further along, up on a small rise, the old school house on our left. The road starts to go uphill and there are many twists and turns. We think it is along here that our friend Tim had his encounter with the mountain lion (see the post on Point Reyes) so we had our eyes peeled but we were out of luck. The road continued to wind around giving us distant views of the ocean one minute a secluded valley the next. Approaching Pescadero we passed a farm on the right which had an enormous rusty metal skeleton “Terminator” sculpture holding a machine gun on the roadside. Passing the cemetery, we entered the main street of Pescadero.
We had breakfast at Duartes Tavern. This is one of our truly favorite places to eat at any time of the day (see the post on Duartes Tavern). Today was no exception. As it was Valentine’s Day, I expected it to be more crowded. I did hear though that they were fully booked later in the day. There was a fresh red rose on all the tables. Tom had an omelet and I had oatmeal with a side of wheat toast. With the oatmeal you get milk, brown sugar, raisins and pecans There were two sorts of home made scrummy jam served with the toast. While there, I bought one of their legendary ollallieberry pies to take home. A bit expensive at $23 but a splendid treat for a special occasion. I was presented with a single, white rose, when we left – as all women were. What a lovely gesture.
We left Pescadero by turning left onto Pescadero Creek Road. which is another scenic route. So far we
Misty fog threading through the trees
have not had any more showers but when we drove through the redwoods big drops of water fell from the branches. Before we reached La Honda, we turned right on Alpine Road. Tom and I have never been on this stretch of road before and it was spectacular. Very narrow with just room for one car in parts and with lots of hair pin bends along the way. At one point, we passed a couple of parked cars on a small lay by and I noticed a trail leading to a little wooden bridge over the creek. I looked on the map and saw that it was the Towne Fire trail which heads back towards Pescadero Creek Road. We’ll have to walk it one day. There were a few residences we passed but we couldn’t see them. The only indication were mail boxes and huge imposing gates.
We stopped to take some photos where the woods ended and the open spaces began. On our left was the Russian Ridge Open Space and on our right the Skyline Ridge Open Space. The views were amazing and the rising fog looked like smoke.
Approaching Skyline Blvd, we drove though several patches of fog and encountered four cyclists freewheeling down an incline before they hit the next rise to Skyline. Fortunately they turned left and we crossed Skyline and descended Page Mill Road to 280. In several spots we had good views down to Palo Alto, the Dumbarton Bridge and the whole South Bay. Halfway down we saw a flare in the road. Rounding the corner we had to stop because a Land Rover had gone into a tree. Fortunately the driver was not hurt as we saw him sitting at the side of the road looking rather dejected and embarrassed. Soon we hit 280 and were soon home.
We had a very enjoyable day, saw some wonderful sights, had a great breakfast plus we avoided the rain. What more could anybody ask for?
February 14 2009 | Special Places | No Comments »
Scrambl’z has only been open a short while and, as it is close to home, we decided to give it a try. It’s right next to Best Buy on Almaden, just off Highway 85. There used to be a Baker’s Square restaurant there.
I’d never heard of Scrambl’z so checked it out online before we left home. There is another one in Morgan Hill and until last June, there used to be one in Modesto.
As we drove into the car park Tom expressed doubt about how good it could be. From the outside, it looks a little gaudy with it’s bright yellow exterior. Everything is freshly painted and the plants outside look brand new.
Inside there was a warm welcome – if slightly overdone. All the staff wore blue T-shirts with the Scrambl’z logo. We were shown to a booth near the window. They have tried to make it look like an old fashioned diner but it’s too contrived. The tables in the booths have yellow tops but all the free standing tables have different tops in a host of colors. The chairs are mismatched as well and I saw no two the same. There are stools at the counter – well actually they are high stools with backs – and once again they are all different.
I thought the menu was a place mat. I did see they offer oatmeal but at an extortionate price – $4.99. I asked the server if it came with raisins or fruit She told me it was oatmeal with milk and butter and that’s all. So I decided to go for something else and ordered a Healthy Short Stack for $7.99. Tom ordered a beef, onion and mushroom scramble for $10.99. The coffee was $2.29. Wow, the prices were steep.
On the walls are a lot of retro posters. Right next to us were lots of pictures of James Dean – and I’m not complaining about that. Other artists from the same era were also depicted – Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley and Judy Garland.
Behind the counter, up on shelves either side of the hatch to the kitchen, were huge sculptures of fruit and vegetables. They were brightly colored and in your face. Above the hatch was a large screen TV showing a football game.
The biggest attraction though was the bright yellow VW bus in the left hand section. Unfortunately it was not possible to enter the vehicle.
Our food was served on bright red plates. My buttermilk pancakes were nice and hot. On top was sprinkled powdered sugar and a brown powder. I’m guessing the latter was the ‘healthy’ part as the menu stated they were high fiber. The maple syrup was a disappointment. It was in a very sticky, standard Log Cabin bottle; it was cold and it was tasteless. Tom’s scramble (or should that be scrambl’z?) came with camp fire potatoes – home fries to you and me – and an English muffin. The muffin looked a little overcooked and the portion of jam in the small plastic pot was not at all generous. The coffee was awful. Our verdict on the food was OK but nothing to write home about.
Of course I paid a visit to the restroom. I was so intent looking at the VW bus that I went into the men’s restroom by mistake. I thought a first it was a unisex restroom but then noticed there was no lock on the door. Thank goodness there was nobody else in there. I made my exit pretty smartly and went into the right restroom next door.
It was certainly clean, bright and smelt of new paint. There was one big poster of Audrey Hepburn on the wall. Other than that it was bland.
Would we come back again? The answer is no. It might appeal to the younger generation but we got no warm fuzzy feelings in there. We much prefer the real old fashioned diners, the ones that have been around for some time. Also it is very expensive. A third reason is the fact that we had to turn right out of the car park and drive all the way to Blossom Hill Road before we could do a U-turn.
February 05 2009 | Breakfast Log | No Comments »
Pork Store Cafe on Haight Street in San Francisco's Haight Ashbury neighborhood.
Before we took a tour of the Haight Ashbury neighborhood, we just had to stop for breakfast. It was just after 9 and we’d been up for five hours.
(Click on the image for a larger version)
Right opposite the yellow legs in fishnets and red high heels, sticking out of an upstairs window, is the Pork Street Cafe. It’s small with just half a dozen tables and 14 stools at the L-shaped counter. Every table was occupied so we grabbed two stools at the counter.
It’s a busy and bustling place. The noise level was high but it’s a happy chatter. There was no oatmeal on the menu, gosh darn, so I chose the granola with mixed fruit and yogurt . Granola, for my English friends and especially Sue in Taunton, is a bit like a cluster of mueseli but darker in color and sweeter. Tom ordered the chorizo special. We could hardly hear our server. We thought she was asking Tom whether he wanted ‘soap’ or biscuits. After she repeated herself a couple of times, we realized she was saying ‘toast’.
From our vantage point at the counter, we had a good view of all the work going on behind it. Our server got a bowl; removed fresh strawberries and blueberries out of the fridge; chopped a banana; added yogurt and, finally, a sprinkling of granola on top. Voila, my breakfast was ready. The short order cooks were busy cooking hash browns and eggs on the grill. With three servers and two cooks, there was not much room behind the counter but they co-ordinated perfectly.
On one wall there were 14 posters for the Haight Ashbury annual street fair. The event has been held since 1978 but the earliest one on display was dated 1979. The only other decoration in the place was a large and, I’m guessing , ceramic pig on top of the stainless steel hood over the grill. It’s obviously been up there some time because it looked a bit grubby and greasy.
Overlooking the cafe is a balcony or minstrel’s gallery with a bright pink
Haight Ashbury neighborhood in San Francisco.
balustrade. At the back of the gallery were two doors and I thought they might be offices but I found out later what they were.
My breakfast was good. You can’t do much to ruin granola and yogurt after all. The fruit was fresh so that was a bonus. Tom enjoyed his chorizo special, one of the best for some time.
My trip to the restroom was an adventure. They are up a rickety, paint splattered staircase. I walked through an archway to the left and there I was on the balcony, looking down onto the customers eating breakfast and with a birds eye view of the hard work going on behind the counter. There was only one restroom and it was pretty unspectacular. I’ve been in many worse but loads that were far superior. The one thing which caught my attention and made me giggle was the soap – or should I say the soap dispenser. It was in a huge plastic container and the liquid inside was bright pink (to match the balustrade outside I guess). The label on the side indicated it could be used for dishes and hands!
The Pork Stree Cafe is certainly worth a visit if you are in the Haight Ashbury area for both its food and novelty value.
February 01 2009 | Breakfast Log | No Comments »
