It's not a celebration without oysters
I had planned to start this post off with some sentimentality about the beauty of the Northern Californian coastline, how ethereal and dreamy the waterscapes can be, and how much I enjoy the juxtaposition of majestic redwoods standing next to the grey waters of the bay. Instead, I'd like to take a poll: Who else felt that earthquake at 3am this morning?!
If I ever needed a reminder that the earth is a mysterious and powerful place, that was it. Though we only felt a little bit of it in San Francisco, I read that there were at least 11 aftershocks in Fremont where the epicenter was (about 40 miles away), and after reading this New Yorker article it was enough to freak me out for a good half hour.
Then, you know, a mosquito kept attacking me until I hunted it down at 4:30am. I had a very busy night.
Luckily, I have the memory of this beautiful Father's Day adventure to reinvigorate my love for this earthquake-laden state.
My parents are big fans of the day trip - to Sonoma, to art galleries in the city, to Palo Alto, wherever. So it's only fitting that for Father's Day my mother planned a day trip up to Point Reyes for brunch and a bit of exploration at Nick's Cove!
First, we started with coffee (life's necessity), some oysters, and their famous Dungeness crab macaroni and cheese to share.
We moved on to main courses - and, let me tell you, this was one of the best Caesar salads I've ever had!
The lettuce was grilled before assembly, giving it a wonderful smoky flavor, and then stuffed with parmesan and breadcrumbs. Nom nom nom.
Mom had some kind of prosciutto scramble, Pops got the crab benedict, and little brother indulged in the traditional fish and chips. Everything was delicious, and oh-so-seafoody!
After brunch, we meandered about the dock and explored the small boat house at the end of the pier. The sights were just gorgeous - the day was perfectly overcast, setting the scene for a quaint seaside town. I half expected to see the cast of Mystic Pizza around the corner!
Of course, I made mom participate in a mini photoshoot.
Those four little cabins above? Those are houses you can rent to stay at Nick's Cove! What a perfectly relaxing weekend that would be, right?
After we'd had our fill of the dock, we drove through the actual town of Point Reyes. Have you ever been? It's adorably small and picturesque, an idyllic spot for a sunny Sunday. We pulled over to a shady spot and I pretended to do some art photography.
I know, I know, not my forte. I couldn't resist that Norman Rockwell view!
If you're looking for a short weekend excursion (or a long one), then you can't do better than Nick's Cove. If you give me a heads up, I'll even meet you there for lunch.
----- Nick's Cove Restaurant & Cottages 23240 Highway 1 Marshall, CA 94940
11am-9pm every day