I think San Francisco might be my favorite city in America... maybe the world... There's just no place quite like it.
NIIIICCCCEEEE!!!! I miss San Fran it was a good time, saw most everything except one evening of "early evening low clouds" as we used to say when I lived in the South Bay. I miss the cable cars and the Cliff House, nice of you to roll past C.H. And I actually watched the whole thing because I am a car guy, even though he talked about the Alpina but if you're given a ride, best to talk it up.
I haven't watched the entire thing, just your segment. Great showing, Joey. I agree with the others, no city like it. Also, anyone who has lived there loves that corner. The broad, flat sweeps in a modern 'planned' community which want to eschew grids are sterile and unfulfilling. That corner is cinema in real life, you know the music swells as you swing out and down toward the shoreline. There is a similar section of 101 just North of Del Mar heading South, and the Monterey/Carmel area of course. Closer to you, there is the 1 between Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz.
Every time I see pics or video of that skyline it tugs me to move back. I cannot afford. Also, I am bummed for the loss of Thee Parkside to condo builders. Down the street is The Bottom of the Hill, which I worked at for 3 years. It closes down at the end of the year, thankfully by choice of the owners Lynn, Kathleen and Ramona, and not because of more development. These two spots had LOTS of car stuff going on in the early 2000's. 17th street was the place to be for me back then.
For us, it was a toss-up between Boulder and the Bay Area. Both are too rich for our blood, but this AI money has driven the market plumb insane in NorCal... we weren't liquid enough to even look at houses with a straight face. Realtor would call with an address and by the time we got there it was already gone... 100k over asking, cash. Just nuts. But I get it. Once we're empty nesters, wouldn't surprise me if we end up there anyway. EDIT: Also, is Joey not the most laid back, chill mother****er on the planet?
Can the robots adopt me? I would make a good human dependant. But yea, I should've listened to my dad about saving instead of blowing money on a non stop stream of old cars in my 20's. By the time I was ready to be a homeowner it was too far out of reach for my wife and I no matter how much we saved. And then her career imploded, so the choice was made to look elsewhere. Life is better here but that damn homesickness will not leave me alone.
Funnily enough he and I never met in real life as of yet. However as I mentioned above about my wife having her career be completely gutted like a fish, she was working part time at her friend's vintage clothing store on Haight. Low and behold here comes Joey on the hunt for a vintage car club coat while she was working. He didn't find what he was looking for there but she gave him a few ideas where to look.
Very cool video Joey! Thanks for sharing. I was just out near San Francisco a couple years ago and didn't make it. I need to make it a priority next time.
As a native Californian, born in the hot dusty San JoaquinValley, A****er area, it brings back a lot of memories, watching this video! As a kid and as a teenager, my friend and I would go to San Francisco as often as we could in the 60s and early 70s, back then it was exciting and pure magic, and we could afford to make full day trips to go exploring and experiencing all of the cool sights and sounds and tastes of the city! I always wanted to live there, but even as far back as 1975, when I got out of the Army, it was abundantly clear that I wasn’t going to be able to afford it! Serendipity and fate drew me to Seattle, its truly the version of San Francisco that I can afford, but only because of a series of fortunate events and good timing and good luck, that has allowed me to be a homeowner here! Thank you to @J.Ukrop for allowing the HAMB Universe to ride along with you on those incredible streets, in that wonderful hot rod!
Sad to see as he turns the corner so little left of the Cliff House. There was so much there still when I used to park my '38 coupe in a parking lot just behind where the roadster is. I backed it in so I could start it on that hill. The 8v battery would not crank the flatty except when it was stone cold. The best corn dogs in the world were just to the right of the roadster. Playland at the Beach with Laughing Sal to greet you were at the bottom of the hill on the left. It was a great city!
From last November. Did not see any more recent articles. https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/san-francisco-cliff-house-reopening-name-21143301.php It's going to take a lot of money and love. Still hoping.
@Ryan quote; “EDIT: Also, is Joey not the most laid back, chill mother****er on the planet?” I call him Kid …..because he’s a Kid. @J.Ukrop
mt wife and I just got back from a 3100-mile trip going first to the L A Roadster Show in Pomona many shop tours around LA. The NHRA Museum. The Regan Presidential Museum was wonderful (if you have never been take a tour). We then went to Santa Barbra and Solvang for a few days. Took in a show in Oxnard on Sunday Father's Day. We got to see the Nethercutt Collection in Sylmar which is spectacular. Next stop was Santa Cruz for Woodies on the Wharf over 200 wood bodied cars on Saturday. We watched the cruise on Sunday morning down Cliff Drive. Then had brunch with my cousins one from Reno one from Silicon Valley. From there to Half Moon Bay area where we had dinner at Nick's. Seafood. On Monday we headed for south San Frisco to see my friend Jim Vickers at Brizio Street Rods. He was kind enough to show us around the shop and see the cars under construction. Then he disappeared and said I want to show you something special we went to another building (with no know location) with the most iconic collection of hot rods anyone could imagine. I was blown away that these cars even still existed. The Ala Cart was one of the most iconic cars when I was a kid reading small rod books, The first Mercury that Barris chopped and so many others. We then went to South City Rods & Custom walked around for a while no one was around? I saw two people working on cars. We drove highway CA-1 then US101 up the coast of Oregon and Wahington. Two more car museums, Vancouver, Seattle, Coos Bay, Portland, Puyallup for a cruise in. Boat tour of Peugeot Sound Fireworks near Sea Tac Airport before flying home to SW Florida. Great car trip three more car museums to our 22 previous, scenery was breathtaking on the coast highways. You have got to do this **** before we are too old!
I think you got a tour of the Mumford collection. I believe John Mumford owns all of the property that Brizio's sits on, and he is one of their biggest clients.
Just things I have heard over the years, the fact that he mentioned the A La Kart is there lends some truth to it.
Nice interview and cruise on places we all like at one time or another. Hello, We all wish to be able to live in San Francisco . I remember it well when our dad took us there for a vacation in 1949 in the big, black Buick Roadmaster. He wanted to try it out on a long trip. It was a coastal drive through Big Sur, coming up into the city along the Daly City Area and into the crowded city to find our little motel. One of the places he took us was the lookout point at the famous cliff house restaurant. The waves were awesome. Crashing into the rocks below the restaurant, made it seem like the end of the world was just starting below the big windows. We came back in 1953 when he bought another big buick and traded in his big black 49 Buick. He was a Buick fanatic and every 4-5 years, turned in one to get another. So, it was back up the coast to San Francisco again. Jnaki Our 1965 El Camino behind the Steinhart Aquarium on one of our many, stopover visits to S.F. My wife and I started taking our own long distance road trips during college vacation days. The city just drew us back every time. Now, the young twenty something culture was in full force during the Haight-Asbury days. I picked our my favorite surf spot under the Golden Gate Bridge and said I would come back one day to surf and hopefully stay out of the outgoing tide to nowhere… Yikes. The Cliff House from 1956 to the present day prior to closing in 202o. If we could live somewhere else, yes, like others, San Francisco draws us back for some reason. YRMV
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