Stop by downtown Saratoga’s Wildwood Park (20764 4th Street off Big Basin Way) on Sunday 8/8/2010 from noon to 6pm to enjoy an afternoon of free music plus activities & entertainment for kids, including an appearance by a magician!  A variety of bands will be onstage, and Saratoga’s own Mike Gurley will be performing too.

This is a benefit for the Susan G Komen breast cancer research fund, so will be a live auction and donations would be very much appreciated.

870 Brevins Loop: Beautiful, Elegant Willow Glen Home for Sale!

New Listing, Please Stop By!  Open Sat/Sun, June 26-27, 2010 from 2-4pm

Last night I put this new Willow Glen listing of mine on the MLS and I look forward to holding it open this weekend for the first time. If you are in the area, please swing by and have a look! I always enjoy meeting the readers of my blog & this is a home you will enjoy seeing!

The house & yard are full of amenities that Silicon Valley home buyers will appreciate:
hardwood floors, built-in bookcases and media niches, slab granite, gas cooking, stainless steel appliances, lots of windows & natural light, a luxurious master sweet with 2 walk-in closets and a spacious bathroom with big soaking tub, separate shower and two separate vanities. Central air conditioning.   The lush backyard boasts two trellises, sandstone hardscape & custom lighting. The front yard is easy-care: the HOA takes care of the maintenance!

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Willow Glen is one of the most charming areas of San Jose, consisting of many older homes which feature lovely, classic architecture.  Most Silicon Valley home buyers treasure the Willow Glen charm and ambiance, but many are seeking newer homes.  A fabulous option is “The Willows“.

KB Homes built “The Willows” in 1999 to 2000.  It is tucked away at the southernmost tip of Willow Glen, off of Foxworthy Avenue & close to Almaden Expressway, but only about 2.5 to 3 miles from all the action on Lincoln Avenue.

The tree-lined streets are built in something of a loop shape with Rubino Circle being the main access or loop road.  Situated on the inner part of the loop are homes with smaller lots that are a little more affordable.  The outer part of the circle is built with slightly larger homes on larger lots (but none of the lots are “big”). Sidewalks with soft curbs at the corners accompany the streets and make for a pedestrian-friendly, bike, wheelchair or stroller friendly area. Visit in the early evenings and you will see children and adults walking, strolling, taking dogs for a walk etc. – always a good sign! Because the neighborhood is a bit like an oversized cul-de-sac (no through traffic), it is very quiet in terms of traffic.  The area has large street lights, too, making for a safe feeling community.
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Along the Los Gatos Creek Trail in Los Gatos, Campbell and San Jose, there’s an 80 acre park called the Los Gatos Creek County Park.  This long park includes six percolation ponds, which look a bit like square or rectangular ponds with gravel along the edges.  I passed by one yesterday in Campbell along Budd Avenue near San Tomas Expressway.  It was a pretty sight with the Santa Cruz Mountains in the background.  (This view is looking south toward Los Gatos and toward Santa Cruz and the Monterey Bay beyond the coastal foothills.)

Perhaps you have seen them and wondered what their purpose is?  The series of ponds and waterways enables the rainwater runoff to be filtered and placed back into the underground waterway system, which we refer to as aquifers.  (The Unites States has a number of very large aquifers throughout the country, and the biggest one in California is the Central Valley Aquifer.)
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The other day I was previewing for clients all over east and south San Jose: Berryessa, Alum Rock, Evergreen, Santa Teresa and Blossom Valley. It was one of the hundred degree days and I was glad my car has a strong air conditioner. I stumbled upon Canyon Park near Silver Creek as I was obeying my car’s navigation system, and stopped long enough to take a few photos since the views were just perfect. Hope you enjoy seeing them.

Canyon Park is located across from the intersection of Larkspur Canyon Drive and Stoney Creek Place (off San Felipe) in San Jose’s 95109 zip code (near Silver Creek).

Like what you see? Read more about Canyon Park on Yelp & see reviewer’s comments.

Photos, by the way, are not retouched. They were taken with my new Blackberry Tour (as you can see, I have not yet figured out how to focus the pictures!) – these were my first attempt at using the camera function.

Wildwood Park is downtown Saratoga’s quiet getaway spot. Situated on Fourth Street, just off Big Basin Way in Saratoga Village, it’s a stone’s throw to great dining and shops, but borders a pleasant residential neighborhood too. For people fortunate enough to buy or rent a home in the downtown area, the park is a wonderful plus.

What makes Wildwood Park in Saratoga so special? In addition to a nice play structure and an open, grassy area (which you might expect in any city or town park), Wildwood offers a sandy volleyball court, restrooms (many smaller parks don’t) and perhaps best of all, Saratoga Creek. Tall Eucalyptus and Sycamore trees grace this downtown retreat too, so there’s no shortage of shade on warm days.

As a teenager, I attended Saratoga High School (class of 1977) and visited the park with friends or to work on my photographic skills. This is a great location for shooting pictures. What could be cuter than a child or pet by the creek? [Sometimes my girlfriends and I used to watch old movies in the quonset hut theater, The Vitaphone (it was at Big Basin Way and Third) that was then a part of downtown Saratoga's charm. I wish I had thought to take pictures of that theater when I was downtown - it's long since gone. Happy downtown Saratoga memories.]

Today I stopped in to try videotaping the park since I was in the neighborhood on the real estate broker’s tour and literally was on 4th Street already. About 2 weeks ago I got a Flip Video so am learning (critics be gentle!) and hope that these couple of clips give you a sense of the tranquility and beauty of the park if you have not had the pleasure to visit it in person yourself. If you live elsewhere in Silicon Valley, perhaps next time you dine in Saratoga, you can make a side trip to see the quaint little park nearby. It’s a worthwhile visit, especially if you have a camera in hand!

What’s Are The Fun Places for Kids In and Near San Jose?

There are oodles of fun things for kids and the young-at-heart to do in San Jose and the greater Silicon Valley area. Here are a few of the more dramatic highlights!

Paramount’s Great America in Santa Clara. Suitable for all ages but teens will like this best! This park does offer some water play areas and some little kid areas (but it’s expensive for that). Shows in air conditioned theaters will be welcome on warm days. Check out the Wow Card (or VIP Pass if you want to park close) if you’ll be back again in the same season.
Information on season passes & free return trips to Great America

List of Attractions Throughout Santa Clara County and Beyond

Gilroy (south of San Jose)

Bonfante Gardens in Gilroy Want to make a bigger trip of it to The Garlic Capital of the World? Gilroy offers great shopping to dress up those kids (or yourself)! Outlet Mall – List of Shops. And maybe when that’s all done, do some wine tasting. If you can take a tour, the kids may not even get bored. List of wineries (and breweries) in and near Gilroy. And lastly, don’t forget the Garlic Festival! It happens in late July every year. Yes, it’s hot. Yes, they do really serve Garlic Ice Cream. You need to try it at least once! The Gilroy Garlic Festival – information, recipes, calendar, fun stuff for kids.

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