Takeout Food for Shelter in Place

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Los Gatos takeout food for shelter in place

Los Gatos is highly regarded for its excellent dine in restaurants. It is not known for food trucks, takeout food, or meals delivered to your home, but during the current Shelter in Place period, it’s a way for consumers to enjoy some of their favorite meals and support local businesses. In some cases, we can buy groceries at these eateries, too.

Sereno Group has a list of Covid-19 / Shelter in Place resources for the South Bay: entertainment, exercise, home schooling, and to-go restaurants still operating. The list will change as some of the Realtors, like yours truly, contribute and edit the available info, so please bookmark it! Meanwhile, I’ve taken the company’s list and added to it a bit to give you the best info that I can for now.

Here are some places where you can get a meal for takeaway or groceries to go here in Los Gatos. Interesting note: alcohol restrictions have been loosened and establishments can now provide wine, beer, or mixed drinks to go. Please be sure to put them in your locked trunk!

List of takeout food options in Los Gatos

Asa Los Gatos Takeout and groceries for pick up. (Cocktails, too.)  (408) 540-7004

Centenove Takeout at discounted rates and 20% off all bottles of wine. (408) 384-4007.

Double D’s Sports Grille, Los Gatos: Takeout/curbside meals from noon to 7 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday. (408) 402-3407.

Flights / Flights Community Market, Los Gatos: Drive-through menu and groceries. Also selling some food from other nearby shops. 12 noon – 7 p.m. daily.(408) 354-3434

Forbes Mill Steakhouse, Los Gatos: Curbside service on discounted menu. Phone in your order between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., pick up between 3 and 8 p.m. (408) 395-6434.

Happy Hound, Los Gatos: remains open, but no dining in. (408) 358-2444

Loma Brewing Company, Los Gatos: Curbside pickup menu, plus beer, available from noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday. Place orders by 7:30 p.m. at (408) 560-9626. Loma’s Coffee Bar is open Wed – Sunday, 8 am – 12 noon.

Los Gatos Cafe – Uptown, Los Gatos: to go orders only, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily. (408) 356-0600

Manresa, Los Gatos: Limited number of take-away meals will be available for pickup from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday this week and then, for the duration of the shutdown, Wednesday-Sunday. (408) 354-4330

Oak & Rye, Los Gatos: Curbside pickup, plus local deliveries every 30 minutes of full menu, daily specials and beer, wine, cocktails. Hours, noon to 8 p.m. (408) 395-4441.

Willow Street Los Gatos + San Jose – open for takeout and delivery (30% off bottle of wines with food) Curbside service and delivery (408) 354-5566 from noon to 8 p.m.

Zona Rosa, San Jose/Los Gatos: Curbside pickup, delivery and take-and-bake options from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. (408) 884-8268.

When possible, please pay electronically so that you and the cashier do not have to handle paper money and coins.

Additionally, it seems that many other restaurants such as pizza and donut shops, may be open for take out – if you  have a favorite, please check in on them and support the local businesses if you can.

Finally, I have never used a delivery service, but if you cannot get out, you might want to investigate Grubhub, DoorDash, UberEats, or Postmates.

Alta Vista neighborhood

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Hills proximity to the Alta Vista neighborhoodAlta Vista is a scenic neighborhood which includes homes in both the Cambrian Park neighborhood and the Town of Los Gatos. For many reasons, this area is highly valued and sought after. For this article, we’ll focus on the neighborhood immediately adjacent to the school, not the entire “area of school attendance.”

What makes Alta Vista so attractive? First, it’s convenient. The high performing schools are easy to walk or bike to without crossing any major roads. Almost as close is a good-sized Safeway, a coffee shop, and other stores and eateries at the nearby Downing Center. It’s easy to get to Highway 85 from Union Avenue, too.  As a bonus, the location is popular because of it’s vicinity to Los Gatos with the lower price point of San Jose (for most of the neighborhood).

Second, it’s scenic. Alta Vista has its fair share of visual appeal as well, with many streets lined with beautiful and mature trees, Ross Creek running along one border, and views of the nearby Blossom Hill and coastal range behind it. South of Blossom Hill on the Los Gatos side, it’s not far to the foothills with their trails and parks. Yards and homes are well kept and tidy, as are the streets. Parking near the schools only becomes a problem during school functions a few times a year (and of course at drop off and pickup times).

Simply put, Alta Vista is a scenic neighborhood with great schools and a convenient location. That’s a winning combination.

Blossom Valley Drive home

Above and below: a couple of homes along Blossom Valley Drive.

Another Blossom Valley Drive house

 

To see some images of the neighborhood, feel free to check out the video slideshow just below – please note that this was made in 2009 for the first Alta Vista post on my other blog and that, while the neighborhood as a whole has not changed, things may look a little different. For instance, the new home construction shown in the slide looks much more attractive and lived in now that it has been a few years, and the shopping center has undergone some significant remodeling.

 

Please continue reading for a map of the Alta Vista neighborhood, major landmarks, info on the Alta Vista real estate market, homes for sale in Alta Vista, and more.

Read moreAlta Vista neighborhood

Pueblo de Los Gatos condos

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If you are looking to buy a home in or near downtown Los Gatos, but your budget is less than $1 million, you might consider something in the Pueblo de Los Gatos condos community. It is one of the more affordable housing options anywhere in town, yet enjoys the highly prized Los Gatos Union School District and a very convenient location.

Pueblo de Los Gatos condos community sign

What are homes in Pueblo de Los Gatos like?

Pueblo de Los Gatos condos

Front doors face outside, rather than an interior corridor, so this is not a complex that feels like a hotel.  The development was built in 1970, and you may detect its age here and there, but overall, it seems to be a well kept up complex.  Residents enjoy a community pool and lots of green, open space between the buildings. Several residents appear to have dogs, but on the many visits I’ve made there, I did not hear any barking.

The individual units vary in the amount of remodeling which has been done inside. Some still have heat pumps for heating and cooling (rather than a forced air furnace), popcorn or acoustic ceilings, original bathrooms, etc. Many have been beautifully updated, though, so you really need to see each one and take it on its own merits.  Gas fireplaces are common – they may be in every unit, but I’m not sure of that.

It appears that the units were all built with Zinsco electric panels and subpanels, and they seem to be widely in use (though individual owners may have replaced them).  Some home inspectors will raise a red flag about Zinsco or Federal Pacific panels, and others do not say a word about them. Please do your own research on this.

Except for one of the homes, which has a garage, all have use of at least one carport space.

Pueblo del Los Gatos carports

How big are the condo units at Pueblo de Los Gatos?

Pueblo de Los Gatos includes 53 condominium units.  I have been in a number of them, and most of the units I’ve seen have good floor plans with very decent space. They have laundry in the unit rather than in an HOA run laundry building.

The bed, bath, and size breakdown is as follows:

  • 8 units have 1 bed, 1 bath, and either 764 SF or 789 SF
  • 44 have 2 bedrooms and 2 or 2.5 baths, with one of 3 layouts – 1032 SF, 1097 SF, or 1120 SF
  • 1 unit features 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 1390 SF and a 2 car garage, while the rest use carports. (I do wonder if originally this wasn’t supposed to be the property manager’s residence? It was last sold in 1980, so if that was the case, it was a very long time ago!)

Read morePueblo de Los Gatos condos

Ohlone Court

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Ohlone Court, Los GatosLooking for a neighborhood with attractive, younger homes that’s still close to everything in Los Gatos? The properties along Ohlone Court fit the bill as the community sits along the Los Gatos Creek Trail, across from Vasona and Oak Meadow Parks, and is equally near to downtown Los Gatos on one side and the main shopping district on Los Gatos Boulevard on the other.

Built in 1996 by Summerhill Homes, a very well respected local builder, the residences on Ohlone Court are relatively young by Los Gatos standards, and feature many elements prized in newer construction, such as open floor plans. It’s a pretty area where the neighbors all seem to care about maintaining their homes and yards nicely,  and it enjoys the highly regarded Los Gatos Schools, too.

How’s the terrain? The road climbs from Roberts Road, where it is near the Los Gatos Creek, up a knoll. The top is of course sunny and some homes enjoy fantastic views. Some homes are nearer to the creek and toward the bottom of the hill, where it’s shadier. There’s an easy to miss staircase that allows pedestrians to take a shortcut to access Blossom Hill Road and the parks from the top of the court.

This is not a big subdivision. The 25 properties are mostly single family homes, but there are also a couple of duplexes. And the surprise element is that they are condominiums. That is, although most are houses, they are held in condominium ownership (local Realtors will recognize the same situation from the Villas of Almaden, though that community has the houses show up in the MLS under condos, whereas Ohlone Court appears under single family homes). Learn more on what the different type of ownership means here: What Is the Difference Between CID Ownership in a Condo, Townhouse or PUD?

A few weeks back, I did a “drive through” of the area.  My daughter was at the wheel so I could try to capture a sense of the neighborhood for my viewers.  Hope you find it helpful.

Every neighborhood has good and not-so-good features.  What’s the catch here?  It sounds too good to be true! One issue for some buyers is the close proximity of highway 17.  Not all homes are impacted, and only a few back up directly to the freeway, but it is noticeable. This is especially true when you’re high up as there’s nothing much to block the noise. One other issue is that some of the homes are in very shady locations at the bottom of the hill.  This may bother some people who want sunnier homes. Homes on the side of a hill or at the bottom of a hill sometimes have hill related water issues. These are not insurmountable problems but it’s very important to have good drainage, proper grading, and possibly other elements such as sump pumps to keep the water out from the crawl space.

Ohlone Court plat map
Above: Ohlone Court plat map.

Parks open, playgrounds closed

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Today my family and I walked over to Belgatos Park (our usual haunt) and saw a number of people out on bikes or walking en route. We wondered if there would be kids in close proximity on the playground, but the answer is no – it’s cordoned off for public safety during the coronavirus “Shelter in Place”. Makes sense.

Belgatos Park playground closed Covid-19 - side view

 

The police tape prohibiting entrance to the playground comes with a sign about the closure.

 

Belgatos Park sign that playground is closed - coronavirus Shelter In Place

 

Please stay well, one and all!

Glenridge & Bachman Park neighborhood

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The Glenridge neighborhood of Los Gatos s one of the most scenic residential areas anywhere in Silicon Valley. It features beautiful, custom, mostly historic homes on meandering streets. Set just above the Almond Grove neighborhood on a gentle hill it, too is close to town but with a little more altitude and better vistas.

Bachman Park is set in this area too and includes several acres alongside a creek. The park offers picnic tables, a playground, basketball courts and a large grassy field for picnics or play. A paved path follows the creek on one side of it – making a wonderful place just for strolling.

Where is the Glenridge area? What are the prices for Glenridge real estate?

This charming older Los Gatos neighborhood is set just up the hill from the Almond Grove Historic District and adjacent to Fairview Plaza.

Read moreGlenridge & Bachman Park neighborhood

Los Gatos Commons

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The Los Gatos Commons is a popular senior condominium community off of Alberto Way in Los Gatos, very close to the downtown shopping and dining district (see map, below). This complex was developed in 1978, so is 42 years old as of this writing in 2020. There are 110 condo units, ranging from 1 to 3 bedrooms. Most units have carports, but there are a few with 1 car garages available. A plus for many residents is that it is gated – a rarely found amenity in Silicon Valley.

Like other senior communities, of which there are very few in Santa Clara County, properties are more affordable here than what you might find in non age-restricted condominiums nearby.

Homes share a clubhouse, pool, spa, and fitness room, as well as beautifully maintained landscaping. Units have covered parking.

Nearby amenities include easy access to highways 9 and 17, a close proximity to downtown shopping, dining, and entertainment, such as the public library and parks. The location is hard to beat!

Los Gatos Commons Map

What do HOA Dues cost at The Commons?

The Los Gatos Commons home owner association dues start at about $450 and are more for larger units. Two recent 2 bed sales have had $507 monthly fees, and one had a $520 monthly fee. The fee covers things like common area maintenance, cable/dish services, and water.

What senior services are included?

This is an independent living community, not assisted living, which means that there are no additional senior services, such as shuttle, cleaning, or meal plans, available to residents outside of the normal HOA features such as landscaping and exterior maintenance. That being said, the HOA does organize outings and events for those in the community who wish to participate.

Positives and Negatives

Well known positives for The Los Gatos Commons are the wonderful location, beautifully kept grounds, security features, easy lifestyle and low maintenance, the use of the pool and spa, tennis court, workout room, clubhouse, and the senior community.  While not inexpensive, the cost of buying a condo at the Commons is less than it might be for a comparable condominium that would not be in a seniors community – and that is a significant plus, too.

Potential negatives may be the relatively expensive HOA cost, road noise from Highway 17, not having an attached garage (for the majority of units), having 40 + year old construction, and and upcoming construction at Alberto Way and Los Gatos-Saratoga Road.

 

More information on the Los Gatos Commons:

Ending the Alberto Way Confusion (article on this site)

Los Gatos Commons, Association
445 Alberto Way
Los Gatos, CA 95032
(408) 378-1730

http://www.losgatosca.gov/1105/Senior-Housing

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See all Los Gatos Commons.
(all data current as of 3/27/2020)

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.