The Half Moon Bay Coastside is getting more colorful. Specifically, some buildings and businesses have added saturation and vibrancy to their exteriors. You would think that the HMB Coastside is trying hard to be noticed!
Even Barbara’s Fish Trap, which went through a few other owners, began as a more muted, pinkish version of what it is today – a bold, bright orange landmark – like the Golden Gate Bridge. Barbara’s is one of the most popular and now iconic restaurants on the coast.
Just down the street from Barbara’s, the new owners of the Old Princeton Landing turned that dull gray edifice into a pleasing lime green. Just a taste of the big improvements they made on the inside. Not your mother’s OPL, anymore, this one is “The Coastside’s Biggest Little Music House”, hosting a variety of bands, local sporting events, big screen tvs, pool tourneys and other happenings. A far cry from years past. Local Color has new meaning here, & it’s all good.
Next to the OPL are two more colorfully vibrant buildings in Princeton – the electric blue of Half Moon Flowers, and the brilliant yellow, orange, and green designs on the Nasturtium, the Art of Living business, which somehow does not detract from the lovely garden in front of the building.
But it’s interesting that something as seemingly innocuous as color can get some folks stirred up. To be specific, the color of the exterior of some of these businesses in Half Moon Bay and the Coastside. You would think that someone had painted the Montara Lighthouse a neon orange! Although....it might be easier to find in daylight?
When the Stone Pine Shopping Center went from sedate beige and light green to brilliant southwest colors, there were more than a few grumbles from the Locals. I remember when it was being painted, I overheard a woman remark that it was "garish" and tacky. Oh well, can't please everyone. The Stone Pine Center's new bright paint job makes it way more noticeable, especially on those grey, foggy days.
When our gallery was located at Shoreline Station, I saw the bright color transformation in progress. Shoreline had gone through a few paint jobs over the years – from blue to brown – but nothing as colorful as it is today. I really like it, and think that was one thing the owner did to help improve the center. I also like the big carved bear. Gives the place character.
Speaking of Shoreline, the caboose has gone through a couple of paint jobs. From black, to red, and now bright yellow, which I think is very appropriate for the Daddy-O’s Restaurant which now occupies the space. Speaking of bright yellow!
Tammy Trejo’s Coastside Photography building is painted a pleasing yellow, equally complementary with the beautiful bouquets in Tammy's garden. I smile whenever I see it. Tammy’s building stand out on South Main. If anyone wants to find it, you don’t even need the address - all you have to say is: “The bright yellow building with the gorgeous garden around it.”
I recently created a website for Picasso Painting, which has covered many buildings locally (and elsewhere). I took some photos for the website of the painting of the Coastside Lutheran Church, which went from a rather nondescript color to brighter yellow with orange trim (I'm sure that there are specific names for these colors, which I don't know, so I'm providing photos, so you can see what I mean). MUCH more noticeable.
Though Cunhas Country Market is painted in essentially the same pinkish hue as the original Cunhas was, the side of the building bears that awesome mural of Jeff Clark surfing the wave to......well, the front of the building!
Other murals on Main Street add color to the otherwise more appropriate paint jobs. The tile mural on the Giorgetti Building comes to mind. You can sell diamonds, AND be colorful. The San Benito House Inn’s updated greens is pleasing to the eye. I guess I would define “appropriate colors” as those which are in context with the purpose of the business.
The Mill Rose Inn is a great example of how understated, tasteful colors accentuate, rather than detract, from the brilliant flowers of the garden. Same with The Old Thyme Inn Bed & Breakfast's cool greens, suggesting an elegant, yet comforting place to stay, while showing off the garden and white picket fence. The historic Zaballa House blue is authentic, as is the turquoise of our old-west style building at 790 Main, very in keeping with the era these buildings were first constructed.
The I.D.E.S. Hall's old mission-style adobe speaks of a long history, while the Farm Bureau's updated brighter coating of earth-brown and ochre are consistent with farming matters. La Petite Baleen's blue with green trim and scalloped tiling suggest water, swimming, & fun, and La Piazza's pinkish hue does have a European flavor, quite appropriate for Moonside Bakery and Toque Blanche. And so forth. I’m sure you might have your own examples of local places.....in any event, tourist season is upon us. Do You Know the Way to Half Moon Bay? Follow the Local Color....
