>>1
It really depends on the situation. If I'm adding a new feature to an existing product, by the time I get through the design phase, I have enough artifacts (class diagrams, sequence diagrams, etc.) to go straight to code. I start by stubbing out all of my classes, so that's a bit like pseudocode.
If I'm starting a new product, however, I like to code up a quick "proof of concept" in python. It's a quick and easy way to get a prototype in front of the customer to make sure we're all on the same page. I can then work from the python instead of just from pseudocode.