by Mary Pope-Handy | May 7, 2011 | Los Gatos Events
May 07, 2011
“Maria’s Berry Farm Building is now the headquarters for Los Gatos Parks and Publics Works” May 18th is your opportunity to visit the Los Gatos Parks and Public Works Open House from 9am until noon. The building is actually the old Maria’s Berry Farm house and it’s fun to see that part of history, too.
For newcomers to Los Gatos, Maria’s Berry Farm used to be located where Highway 85 went through at Highway 17 (880). The structures (house and water tower) were moved before the freeway was constructed.
by Mary Pope-Handy | Oct 20, 2021 | Events, Parks
This Saturday, experience the Los Gatos Park for Parks event at Belgatos Park from ten a.m. to one p.m.
Enjoy live music from Alex Lucero & The Live Again Band (several music genres), learn about hiking, mountain biking, birdwatching and more. Meet the members of the Los Gatos Parks Commission and check out the many booths.
Do bring your own lunch – the town’s event website does not suggest that the Los Gatos Park for Parks event includes any food or beverage booths.
Please click the link above to get all the specifics.
Belgatos Park is a large and gorgeous open space with a playground, restrooms, and trails. If you’ve never been, this is the perfect time to visit!
Los Gatos Park for Parks:
Saturday, Oct 23, 10 – 1
Free event, bring your lunch!
by Mary Pope-Handy | Apr 29, 2007 | Great Places in Los Gatos
April 29, 2007
Yesterday I visited Vasona Lake County Park to see the nesting Great Blue Herons. While there, I took 54 photos of adjoining Oak Meadow and Vasona Parks. It’s impossible to capture these two parks in one quick gallery, but I did make an attempt to do that. Enjoy!
by Mary Pope-Handy | Mar 20, 2023 | Haunted Los Gatos
Where are the better known business or public haunted places in Los Gatos? That’s a good question – and the answer is open to some debate! There are a few spots with a long-standing reputation for being haunted around town.
This is not an endorsement of anyplace, nor a warning. Most of the ghost stories are quite benevolent, and this is “just for fun”. There are haunted residences too, but I’m leaving those out. It would be creepier for the tenants or owners to have people peering in than to have a ghost, at least in most cases.
List of haunted places in Los Gatos
The following list is certainly not exhaustive. These are stories that I have been told about haunted places in Los Gatos or that I’ve researched and read about. I am extremely grateful for the many people who have shared their sightings or experiences with me – thank you, and please keep the stories coming!
(1) The old cemetery area is now covered with shops and restaurants but some of them have had odd sightings over the years. If you aren’t familiar with this tidbit of history, it used to run from Highway 9 or Los Gatos-Saratoga Road to about where Bank of the West is located on North Santa Cruz Avenue and from that road back to where the train tracks used to run (now a very long parking lot) and back to Hwy. 9. In fact, North Santa Cruz Avenue north of Highway 9 used to be called Cemetery Lane. Learn more on a 2007 article I wrote on this blog: Haunted Los Gatos: The Old Cemetery row, I thought it might be a good time to list a few spots for your enjoyment.
(2) The Opera House is another locale with spooky sightings, though the ghost(s) there seem to be pretty well intentioned! Get the scoop at this article on Live in Los Gatos from 2007 also. The Haunted Opera House of Los Gatos. Last sighting that I heard of was in March 2023 on the lower level (in one of the shops).
(3) Coggeshall Mansion – this lovely old Victorian home at 115 North Santa Cruz Avenue has been a restaurant for years (Chart House, Chart’s, Trevise, Palacio, and now The Palms) but before that served as a mortuary and before that, a private residence. When I last wrote about it, it was Trevise (I will update the article at some point). When it was the Chart House, I spoke to several employees about the happenings there and got an earful. Read more: Reincarnation of the Haunted Restaurant
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by Mary Pope-Handy, Clair Handy | Oct 13, 2022 | Los Gatos Neighborhoods
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 44 years old as of this writing in 2022.
There are 110 condo units, at The Los Gatos Commons, 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!
What do HOA Dues cost at The Los Gatos Commons?
The Los Gatos Commons home owner association dues start at about $425 – $600 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.
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