by Mary Pope-Handy | Apr 29, 2023 | Events, Downtown Los Gatos
The Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a pre-Mother’s Day special event, the Spring Fashion Show & Brunch, on Saturday, May 6, 2023 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at The Palms.
Spring Fashion Show Details:
Showcased will be the offerings of downtown Los Gatos merchants.
Buffet Brunch of quiche, salad & dessert, unlimited mimosas & soft drinks. No host bar.
Tickets are $85 each or $340 for a table of 4. Learn more or purchase tickets online at the Chamber’s page for this fun event.
Related Reading
Los Gatos Free Music Concert Series
List of Los Gatos neighborhoods (links to articles for many parts of town)
by Mary Pope-Handy | Apr 12, 2023 | About Los Gatos
Los Gatos was just named in a list of the “Top 20 Best Suburbs for City-Like Living” in a study sponsored by Storage Cafe. It was one of four Bay Area communities to receive that honor.
These lively suburbs with an urban flair were sifted from 912 cities or towns with populations between 10,000 and 100,000 in 100 of the largest metropolitan areas
Pal Alto #3
Los Gatos #7
Burlingame #8
Menlo Park #16
Here’s the whole list:
Best Suburbs Criteria
How did these four areas get named to the “best suburbs” list? We know and love these communities, but many others, too, such as Saratoga, Los Altos, and Campbell.
The criteria used, per their article:
- Residential landscape: housing affordability, new construction and housing diversity (single-family, multifamily homes)
- Demographics
- Business environment
- Shopping and dining amenities
- Health
- Education
- Safety
- Transportation options
- Self storage prices and availability as a way to maximize home space
Housing affordability probably should have taken all of the Bay Area cities off the list, so I’m not sure how they – and especially Palo Alto – ranked so highly overall. None of these would be called affordable communities. However, we do have diversity in housing types with plenty of condos and townhouses, senior living communities and senior condos to purchase , and of course varying sizes of domiciles.
Check out all of the details on these communities and see more graphics on their page: Suburbs That Feel Like Big Cities
Love downtown Los Gatos? Read up on a couple of the neighborhoods right “in town” (on this site):
Almond Grove Historic District
Broadway Area Historic District
by Mary Pope-Handy | Dec 15, 2022 | Food & Drink, Los Gatos Restaurants, Cafes, Bars, Wineries
Kamakura Sushi & Sake House is better known to locals as Kamakura Japanese Restaurant in Los Gatos. The menu offerings are wider than sushi and sake, though of course they are prominently offered. If you enjoy Japanese food of all kinds, this is a place you’ll be happy to try. I visit there at least a couple of times each year, and would not mind going a lot more often.
Patio dining at Kamakura Japanese Restaurant in the Covid era
Earlier this week Jim and I enjoyed lunch in the parklet out front at Kamakura. I’m adding comments about our December visit to an older article (below) from pre-Covid days.
We were the first patrons at Kamakura Japanese Restaurant that day, and we asked if we could sit outdoors with the heater on, and the hostess quickly said yes and got us seated there. (Not so long ago I was at another Los Gatos eatery for lunch with clients and I had phoned ahead to see if they would be willing to turn the heaters on for us – it was equally frigid that day – and they said they didn’t know if they had any propane! And those heaters did not get used.)
The metal chairs were initially a little icy (so next time I might bring a sweater to sit on!) but it didn’t take long to be comfortable. The tables are spaced apart at a good distance. That’s not something we see everywhere and we really valued it.
Sometimes when guests are seated outdoors they can be overlooked by the staff. That did not happen in the least. The service was extremely attentive. As always, the food was delicious and hot. Our server and the hostess both brought us refills of our hot tea many times. We were there on a particularly chilly day, December 12, and the hot tea was wonderful to enjoy.
Of special note: many restaurants with crab dishes use a cheaper imitation crab, but Kamakura boasts “real crab” on their menu.
Our hostess was also great with the heater when it glitched. At one point it turned off and she quickly moved us to another table (and later was able to get the first heater working.)
The atmosphere was friendly and welcoming. It felt like a very Covid-safe setting. The food was memorably good. On a scale of 1 to 10, it warrants at least an 11.
Indoor dining at Kamakura Japanese Restaurant
(Older info and photos are below.)
(more…)
by Mary Pope-Handy | Dec 1, 2022 | Downtown Los Gatos, Equestrian, Events
The annual Los Gatos carriage rides are in December, to the delight of many in and near town to celebrate the holiday season. To me there are few things so festive as seeing and hearing the horses clippity-clop down Main Street and North Santa Cruz Avenue each December.
The dates run from Dec 9 to Dec 23, but not every single night:
December 8-10, 5:00-9:00pm
December 14-18, 5-9:30pm
December 20-23, 5-9:30pm
What do the Los Gatos Carriage Rides cost?
This year, the horse drawn carriage ride will set you back $125 for a regularly sized carriage (4 adults, 2 kids under age 8 max) or $150 for a larger one that accommodate up to 6 adults.
Where to book a reservation & pay for the Los Gatos Carriage Ride
This fun experience is sponsored by the Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce, and you can purchase your tickets and read all the requirements and rules on this page.
Downtown Los Gatos is adorned with holiday lights and décor, and I’d encourage everyone to enjoy some time there, even if it’s just a socially distanced drive through the business district and nearby historic residential districts. If you can manage the horse drawn carriage rides, so much the better, but all visitors are in for a visual treat no matter how they see the area.
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.
(more…)
