On the road again: Silicon Valley, day 3

Let's skip the vast majority of the day, which went to work, and focus instead on a slightly less than three-hour period.

We were heading north on the 101 in the worst of the rush-hour traffic, our last meeting over and a ton of backed-up email ahead.  We'd already bagged a late dinner reservation at a great place in favor of more time for email.  We'd gone less than nine miles in forty-five minutes.  I saw a sign saying the 92 exit toward Half Moon Bay was half a mile ahead, and suddenly I knew it was time to change the plan.

Years ago, we came out here a week a month to work with a group here that reported to me. Every now and again, we'd go to Half Moon Bay for dinner.

I took the exit and headed over the mountains toward the sea.  Two resolutions filled me instantly:  I would eat again at Mezza Luna, and I would put my fingers in the Pacific Ocean. 

And so I did.

Dinner was lovely, exactly what I wanted.  Mezza Luna has the feel of a large, family-oriented Italian restaurant, with lots of local patrons who seem to all know one another.  We chowed down on bruschetta, caprese salad, Caesar salad, and gnocchi with Gorgonzola sauce.  I'd remembered the food as being good, but I've eaten at a lot of great places since my last time there, so I was concerned that I'd be disappointed.  No worries.  The food was excellent, the gnocchi as good as any I've ever had.  I recommend this place highly.  I left with a smile on my face.

It happened to be the first night of crab season, so we moved down the road to the marina, walked to the end of a pier, stretched out on the wood, and I put my fingers in the Pacific.

 Yeah, the picture is fuzzy--we're talking an iPhone with flash at night--but it's at least a vague proof.

Back in the car, back over the mountains, and back to work.  I had to stay up super late to finish, and I won't get much sleep, but it was worth it.

Every now and then, you have to stick your fingers in the ocean.