A shout out to The Orange and Black, living up to the name and making Texas look small.
Good luck this Saturday and Sunday:

And in other orange news, your Halloween community event list:

• Zillow.com breaks down the 20 best cities for trick or treating, and best places to trick-or-treat in San Jose.
• San Jose Mercury News Halloween holiday headlines
• Los Altos events, via the Town Crier.
• Mountain View events, via the Voice.
• Palo Alto events, via the Weekly.

Bay Area Real Estate News:

• Palo Alto Weekly article talks about local “premium” housing developments.
• SF Gate: On The Block says Bay Area real estate is walking on tight rope — inventory is thin and demand is fickle.
• Another one for On The Block, five red flags for renters.
• Real estate monitoring company DataQuick reports that “Bay Area September Home Sales Second-Lowest in 19 years.” On the other side of the coin, the median sale price is 8% higher than a year ago.
• The Chronicle reports that Bay Area foreclosures are down 32.5% from last year; statewide they were down 25.5%.
• San Jose mercury reports on a job market study done by Beacon Economics. In the third quarter of 2010, the Bay Area brought in 4,500 payroll jobs. But, construction, retail, and government remain the weakest industries.

National Real Estate News:

• We all appreciate politics that call it as it is: presenting Jimmy McMillan of the Rent is Too Damn High Party, via Wall Street Journal.
• Fresh Air with Terry Gross untangles the mortgage foreclosure crisis with guest Gretchen Morgenson, from the New York Times. A good summary of how we got here and how banks aren’t helping solve foreclosures through the use of “robo-signers.”
• The Associated Press: New home sales rise 6.6% after dismal summer

To Fill Your Inner Real Estate Gossip:

• Among other news, Chelsea Handler needs to talk to Mr. McMillan. She is renting for $35,000 a month in Brentwood, CA, via NBC Bay Area.
• Couldn’t help but one last Giants mention. Online tickets for the games at AT&T Park sell into the thousands, via Oakland Tribune.

No, he'd been following some of the other visitors around the winery but he put on his full strut when he saw the gleam of my camera lens.  

Here he was: the side of Cupertino not many people get to see.  Hidden off the rugged Santa Cruz Mountains with Montebello Road carving its winding path, Cupertino is Silicon Valley wine country.  

The Ridge at the Top of the Mountain

The signs were everywhere and they weren't subtle.  This was also rattlesnake country and people were just visitors.  With a view that stretched well beyond Moffett Field and downtown San Jose, past the East Bay with clear skies, though, nothing else had my attention.  Here was the Ridge Vineyard and Winery, proper and formal, yet rustic in its nature.

The beautiful mountain.  The name of the Ridge Winery estate and the name of their flagship red, unsurprisingly, Monte Bello (with the space).  And in keeping with the traditions of great temptation, they will give you your first taste for free.  They welcome guests on weekends, but on weekdays with reservations only.

Down the Santa Cruz Mountains

Not to be forgotten are the Naumann and Fellom Ranch Vineyards.  Our story, though, continues with our fine feathered friend at the Picchetti Winery and the appropriately named Peacock Court.

Have you ever been flashed by poultry?  The two women just ahead had gotten out of their cars and were walking leisurely, up the path towards the farmhouse where Picchetti Winery holds its tastings.  Hidden behind the barrel marking the entryway and sensing his opportunity, he burst out from his cover, running towards the ladies and rearing himself — literally — in full glory.  The Pichetti sangiovese is good, but it's not what I'll remember from this winery.

Catch and Release

1935, the year before Turing Machines.  That's the year when the Stevens Creek Dam and Reservoir was constructed.  Some people pass this piece of history before entering Cupertino wine country.  You can't miss it: it's entire view on your left heading up to Montebello Road. 

Others come here to spend the afternoon sitting on the steep angular concrete wall that is the Stevens Creek Dam, with fishing rod in hand, enjoying the reflection of the sun off the water.  This is Cupertino too.  

(c) Steve Leung for the Silicon Valley Real Estate Blog at 1SiliconValley.com

Recommended Reading:

• A Sunset at Muir Beach
• One Lazy Saturday at Shoreline Park – Mountain View
• Walking Tour of Santana Row
• Silicon Valley Farmers Markets

Technorati Tags: Silicon Valley, Bay Area, Cupertino, Wine, Fishing

Going up?  Cupertino Square pulled the wraps off the construction they’re doing on the AMC theater set to open in April. 

Stairway to heaven?  Normally an escalator wouldn’t be that interesting, but in this case it’s the visual centerpiece of the Vallco revitalization.

The entire area had previously been cloistered away behind thick plastic wraps to keep the construction hidden and the corridor free from dust. 

While the Strike bowling alley is still several months away, the automated ticketing kiosks and the ticket booths are already up and new tiles leading to the theater are being installed.

People who usually find themselves going to other theaters near Cupertino like the Century San Jose 25 at Westgate Mall, AMC Saratoga 14, or the Century San Jose triplets will find these newer facilities more convenient.

(c) Steve Leung for the Silicon Valley Real Estate Blog at 1SiliconValley.com

Recommended Reading:

• Cupertino Housing Market Update – April 2007
• Cupertino Square Information
• Cupertino Home Inventory Search and Market Information
• Silicon Valley School System Bang-for-the-Buck
• Goodbye Vallco, Hello Cupertino Square
• Silicon Valley Shopping Information

And as the impending sheet of water draped itself over the sky, the reflection from the setting sun faded through the last details of the ocean below, to the point where only the glow of a golden shadow remained.  Welcome to Northern California.

A Trip in Reverse to Muir Beach

I never did get a chance to chase the pot of gold.  It was unusual that there wasn't even the slightest breeze, but evenings in Marin County are chilly most of the year — especially after the sky has just baptized you — so my car was looking very comfortable in the parking lot a few hundred feet away…

There was a young couple standing on the overlook.  Just like I did, they wound their way down the railed path, which was surprisingly treacherous because of how dry it had been a just those few short minutes before.  They were… enjoying their moment… so I made my way back up the pathway…

Truthfully, I hadn't even noticed the path up to that point.  Sometimes you get so lost taking pictures you forget where you are.  But when you look out past what you ever thought you could see and you're still fascinated by what's actually there, I'm not sure it deserves anything less…

Sunset was coming quickly to Muir Beach and I hurried out of my car nearly dropping my camera on the concrete in the process.  It was a spectacular day for a sunset and I was wondering why the parking lot was virtually empty.  Maybe they'd heard something I didn't?

Her Cousin: Muir Woods

Muir Woods isn't as photogenic as his nearby cousin Muir Beach, with her flowing blonde sunsets and milky blue seas.  Located deep in the Marin valleys — he's accessible, but not easily, through a winding two-lane road.

Muir Beach is extraordinary; Muir Woods, with redwoods reaching over 200 feet tall, is a National Monument. 

And one of the closest places in the Bay Area you can see the salmon run every year!

(c) Steve Leung for the Silicon Valley Real Estate Blog at 1SiliconValley.com

Recommended Reading:

• One Lazy Day at Shoreline Park
• Silicon Valley Farmers Markets
• Walking Tour of Downtown Palo Alto
• Walking Tours and Hiking Trails Galore

Technorati Tags: California, Hiking, Muir Beach, Muir Woods

You can see the giggling children and the families gathered around a wound-up piece of string as it's whipped through the air by the acrobatics of its airborne companion. 

At least the people who could find parking could.  Me?  I'd forgotten that there's only one way in or out of this parking lot and, since I'd pulled all the way through, I was about to take the hardest driving test I'd had to face since parallel parking as a 15 year-old: reversing 50 yards past families with toddlers hypnotized by the mylar tails of kites gone by.  It turned out to be worth it. 

Say Hello to Our Canine Friends

I started this trip past the Shoreline Amphitheater at the local dog park.  Shoreline is one of my favorite driving ranges but I'd never stopped by the canine carnival outside the main gate before.  Probably because I don't have a dog.

But I do have a serious case of pet envy, so with a little curiosity, I hung a swift right before going into the park proper to see what all the fuss was about.  Parking here was tight this weekend afternoon but it wasn't a skills test.

It's penned off into two sections: one for smaller dogs to jump around and another large enough for the big dogs to run wild.

An Homage to Silicon Valley's Roots 

At one point in time, Silicon Valley was some of the nation's most fertile land.  But what brought the young Henry Rengstorff to Northern California was the gold, or at least the hope of it.  Transportation being what it was at the time, he had to sail around Cape Horn to get here and missed the gold rush by about a year.

Undaunted, he worked as a farmhand and saved long enough to buy land for himself.  Virtuous cycles and fertile land being what they are, he eventually bought more and more until he owned quite a bit of the Bay Area.

The Rengstorff House isn't his legacy, but it is an illustration of the Victorian architecture of the mid-1800s and it's the oldest remaining building in Mountain View.  I could explore architecture like this for hours, but the plaque by the sidewalk that leads to the house has a much better story to tell, and I've linked a snapshot to part of it below.

Fore!  The Shoreline Golf Links

But, I'll tell you a secret, my real reason for this trip was to hit the driving range and it was no coincidence that I made my way into its parking lot after the claustrophobia of the lot before.  I schlepped my bag across the older of the two bridges that allow carts and pedestrians to pass over the gully unscathed and noticed something amiss!

It was Saturday but people were hitting off the synthetic mats instead of grass.  The horror!  There was a more practical matter at hand, though, which was the inimitable ball machine and what change I had in my wallet.  See, a large bucket is $9 on turf and $10 on grass and while I can hear the chorus screaming, "Just get some change you lazy bum!" it's not always that simple.

The ball hut isn't always staffed and weddings sometimes shut down the restaurant on weekends, so having fives and ones is part and parcel of having a good time at the Shoreline range.  The jackrabbit above seemed to be having a good enough time and the natural setting (amidst the backdrop of Google and what's left of SGI) is really a part of the charm.

But luckily for me, four ones and a five later, I'm taking my trusty left-handed 7-iron for a spin.  And 100 balls later I resist the urge to take a few shots from the surprisingly steep practice bunker. 

Splash!  And That's Not My Golf Ball Swimming Either…

A brisk walk towards the water leads a young family playing frisbee under the backdrop of an impending sunset.  There's a patch of shade by the water where I occasionally go to clear my head and reflect, but today is a little too busy for that.  In fact, in what's become a running theme, there's a queue five cars deep for parking spaces in this lot.  

There aren't any windsurfers today but the paddle boats are out in force and there's a couple who's paddled their kayak into the cove with little hope of getting themselves out again.  As they eventually solve the puzzle and start pushing their paddles against the dry land to flip themselves in the right direction, I pass the boat launch and consider a little indulgence at the ice cream cart I spot out of the right corner of my eye.

Being Yourself

At that point, a beige wind streaks past me and as I switch my thoughts from the ice cream sandwich I was reminiscing about, a gentle reminder of Silicon Valley is now in the distance: the 50 year-old powering a scooter.  Good for him.  He was going so fast that I only managed to catch him in this photo on his way back to the marina.

The "Park" in Shoreline Park 

Then, as the sun finally came to rest, I sat on a small hill to watch the people playing, and napping, and biking, and relaxing along the water.  And I thought to myself, people need to see this side of Silicon Valley.

(c) Steve Leung for the Silicon Valley Real Estate Blog at 1SiliconValley.com

Recommended Reading:

• Walking Tour of Downtown Palo Alto
• Any Tour of Menlo Park Starts at Kepler's and Ends in Xanadu
• Top Silicon Valley Driving Ranges
  
• Silicon Valley Shopping Information | Top Silicon Valley Shopping Malls

The Pacific Coast Farmers Market Association publishes a detailed calendar to where you can find the local farmers markets (and what vendors will be there) in your area and the SFGate publishes a more comprehensive list of cities, but no vendor information. 

Here's a sampling of the farmers markets in the cities across Silicon Valley and the rest of the Bay Area; many are open year-round and some of them are open during the weekdays too.

List of Many Farmers Markets in Silicon Valley 

You can find their hours of operation and details on how to get there from these links:

• The Cupertino Farmers Market: Cupertino Square, formerly Vallco
• The Menlo Park Farmers Market: Crane and Chestnut
• The Mountain View Farmers Market: Hope and Evelyn
• The Palo Alto Farmers Market: Hamilton at Gilman
• The Redwood City Farmers Market: Veterans Blvd.
• The San Carlos Farmers Market: Laurel St.
• The San Mateo Farmers Market: College of San Mateo
• The San Jose Farmers Market: Downtown in San Pedro Square
• The Santa Clara Farmers Market: Lawrence Expressway
• The Santana Row Farmers Market: Santana Row's Main Strip
• The Sunnyvale Farmers Market: Murphy Ave.

Since the PCFMA is interested in promoting agriculture, they list the farmers markets that are predominantly about selling produce as opposed to arts and crafts.  Since that's a pretty good indication of whether the market is more about food or being a street fair, you can choose one close by that matches your tastes.

KQED provides more links about Bay Area markets and some background about organic products and sustainable agriculture. 

And If You're Around Mountain View…

There is also the Milk Pail Market which provides fresh produce at prices that are considerably less than the Safeway across the street or the Albertsons nearby.  They're open daily and I do a lot of my personal produce shopping there because I prefer to shop in the evenings.  (And nobody paid me to say that!  Or anything else on this site for that matter…)

While Milk Pail compliments this selection with a wide range of cheeses and also have some gourmet pre-cut meats you can choose from, the Dittmer's Gourmet Meats and Wurst-Haus on San Antonio just a block away is truly the place to go for that.  Their list of smoked meats includes an award-winning smoked chicken and a bacon that makes you question what you thought bacon was.  And after you go, everyone will know you were there because your clothes will come out slightly — but authentically — smoked!

(c) Steve Leung for the Silicon Valley Real Estate Blog at 1SiliconValley.com

Recommended Reading:

• Santana Row Neighborhood Information
• Cupertino and Cupertino Square Neighborhood Information
• Walking Tour of Downtown Palo Alto
• Walking Tour of Santana Row
• Any Tour of Menlo Park Begins at Kepler's and Ends in Xanadu

Who says startup companies are the only reason Silicon Valley is glamorous?  Who says you need to head up to San Francisco for the urban scene?

Santana Row is a uniquely Northern Californian fusion of design, culture and accessibility, recreating the atmosphere of Paris’ Champs Elysees using a distinctly Silicon Valley neo-Mediterranean architecture.

A bustling farmers market lines the streets on Sunday mornings in quaint contrast to the exotic car meets on Saturdays.

But for all the testosterone from the horsepower and club life of the weekends, Santana Row is an amazingly eccelctic place where strollers share the spotlight with Ferraris and people of all walks of life can enjoy the live music.

This walking tour starts from the garage on Olin Avenue, which is most easily accessible from Winchester Blvd.

1.  Park Valencia

2.  Borders and the Hotel Valencia

3.  Straits Cafe at the DeForest Building

4.  Cocola

5.  The Vintage Wine Bar

6.  Chess Courtyard

7.  CineArts

8.  The Vintage Wine Merchants 

First stop: Park Valencia, across from the Olin Avenue parking garage

1.  Park Valencia

Live performances and ample seating make the Park Valencia a popular venue for enjoying a latte from the nearby Starbucks or just lounging around with friends on a sunny day.  The hot dog stand adds an ironic, but not self-conscious, sense of authenticity to the metropolitan environment.  And an interesting side note is the secret behind the perennially green grass.

Next stop: Walk up Olin Avenue past the Urban Outfitters 

2.  Borders and the Hotel Valencia 

The most evocative image on Santana Row is the tower which presides over the Borders, located in the Villa Cornet building.  The Borders isn’t meant as a luxury store like many of the others here, but it’s still Santana Row’s flagship.  Across from it is the upscale Hotel Valencia whose Vbar is the trendsetter for the rest of the strip.

Next stop: Follow sidewalk past Hotel Valencia 

3.  Straits Cafe at the DeForest Building

Unlike its brethren elsewhere in the Bay Area, the Straits Cafe on Santana Row makes an amazing transformation from its roots as a popular Asian fusion restaurant into the epicenter of the weekend nightlife, with karaoke on Wednesdays to live DJs on Fridays and Saturdays, and live jazz and cover bands in between.

Next stop: Next door 

4.  Cocola

The Cocola Bakery is a popular lunch spot because of its sandwiches served on fresh baguettes.  It has ample outdoor seating in the shade of the corridor under the DeForest Building, across from Straits Cafe. 

While the food is a bit pricey for what you get, the convenience, atmosphere and proximity to the Valley Fair side of Santana Row make it a good place to take a load off your feet for a little while.

Next stop: Cross street and walk past Borders

5.  The Vintage Wine Bar

With its distinctive architecture and outdoor patio, the Vintage Wine Bar could get away on its looks alone.  But this haunt was named The Wave Magazine’s "Best Wine Bar" in San Jose because of its abundant selection and precisely chosen pairings.  

Next stop: Walk south down the courtyard

6.  Chess Courtyard

Challenge a friend to a public match in the chess courtyard.  Players of all skill levels are welcome to have a go and can be found there at all hours of the day.  There are also more traditional stone chess tables which you can use for more private matches.

Next stop: Head south to Olsen Drive

7.  CineArts

While you won’t find mainstream films at the CineArts here at Santana Row, the latest indie films featured here might just bring out the cinephile in you.  The seating is almost luxurious with clean reclining seats, ample cup holders… and movable arm rests in case you’re with that special someone.

Many Saturday mornings, exotic car owners and fellow car enthusiasts flaunt their wheels in the parking lot next to the theater.

Next stop: Across the street

8.  The Vintage Wine Merchants

As a bonus, after you’ve had a glass of cabernet at the Vintage Wine Bar and caught the latest foreign flick at the CineArts across the street, you can pick up a bottle of your favorite varietal at the Vintange Wine Merchants. 

(c) Steve Leung for the Silicon Valley Real Estate Blog at 1SiliconValley.com 

Recommended Reading:

• Realtor Notes on Santana Row’s Lofts, Condos and Villas
• Walking Tour of Downtown Palo Alto
• Any Tour of Menlo Park Starts at Kepler’s and Ends in Xanadu
• Santana Row Neighborhood Information
• Silicon Valley Shopping Information | Top Silicon Valley Shopping Malls

Technorati Tags: Santana Row, San Jose, Silicon Valley

Did you ever think the odd chill you feel when you walk into a house may not be the air conditioning?  No?  Well, let's rest our left hemispheres for the moment and let our imaginations run for a little while.

As fortunes come, go, and IPO here in the only land that's had a gold rush in three different centuries, the Bay Area and its Valley of the Heart's Delight (now modern-day Silicon Valley) isn't without its own stories of mystery.

Winchester Mystery House, San Jose

Here in Silicon Valley we have the offspring of guilt and loneliness, a sprawling byzantine mansion whose body was contorted and twisted into a maze of corridors to stretching a mile into nowhere, with staircases into floorboards and windows peering nowhere else. 

The Winchester Mystery House is the progeny of one Ms. Sarah Winchester, heiress to the Winchester Rifle Company fortune, whose story is one of unadulterated madness reflected in the continuing torture of this solitary Victorian property.  Our hero, the living mansion, was finally allowed to rest with the passing of poor, rich Ms. Winchester.

Mystery Spot, Santa Cruz

Reality is about perception and if people don't trust what they perceive to be true, what can they trust?  Q.E.D.  Quod erat demonstrandum.  Quod ego dico.  No hablo latin.

But your eyes will deceive you: they are designed to.  And with this deception comes magic and imagination, a world where your basic instincts about the rules of the universe, up and down, and what should be, are callously discarded. 

There are places where you can be an awakening child again, where the realm of possibility is once again endless and where the answers to life's basic questions are no longer carved in stone, but merely filled in with pencil.  Mystery Spot in Santa Cruz (an hour from Sunnyvale so we'll annex into Silicon Valley) is one of those places.

Revealing its hidden treasure, the eternal spring from which its power flows, would be like saying telling Virginia there is no Santa Claus or banning the Easter Bunny from Walnut Creek.  So, for its secret, make love not war… and stay away from Wikipedia.

Real Estate… Haunted? 

Yes, my house is haunted but only with the Ghosts of Christmases past that I choose to reminisce about.  We laugh, we sing (offkey), and tell stories about the fish that got away.  They say that a casual glimpse into the past helps you see your future.  Yes, I'm just kidding but an active imagination helps keep you creative!

But some people can live in the world of the paranormal intuition and, in a reality where all the things great and small happen to good people, there is a site by Mary Pope-Handy. 

Dealing With Haunted Properties 

Mary's site talks about what to do if you have a property which has been stigmatized in some way and includes everything from disclosing your ghosts to light-hearted pointers to recommended clairvoyants and psychics.  I have no idea what questions to use to see if their good at their jobs, but in this increasingly data-driven world, sometimes letting our minds meander off the beaten path is a welcome diversion.

(c) Steve Leung for the Silicon Valley Real Estate Blog at 1SiliconValley.com

Recommended Reading:

• Santana Row Neighborhood Sub-Blog
• Any Tour of Menlo Park Starts at Keplers and Ends in Xanadu
• Walking Tour of Downtown Palo Alto
• Silicon Valley Buyer's Guide

Epilogue: My Experience with a Stigmatized Property, a Note to Agents

My most memorable moment in real estate came when I was previewing a stigmatized property.  An elderly gentleman there had committed suicide because of an extended illness and the family wanted to put it behind them and move out of the house.  This is understandable because the ghosts of people's memories surface all too frequently when you're being reminded of them.

I drove to the foothills and passed a gaggle or a gobble of wild turkeys that had setup camp on the road, and I figured that would be the strangest part of my afternoon.  It was a beautifully crisp day in the late autumn and I remember being slightly amused that the turkeys had survived Thanksgiving intact.  This was going to be a fun day.

The real estate agent showing me the property greeted me outside the door and reminded me that this was a stigmatized property — which is a legal requirement here in California — so I thought I was well-prepared.

The house itself would have been a proud, spacious mansion in my heart's home, New Orleans, but in this area, it was a peer to its neighbors and welcoming to boot.  I walked upstairs into a bedroom that had been used as a small office and saw that the floorboard had been exposed, its carpet and padding torn off recently in an eight-by-five foot area closest to a sliding mirror door obscuring an emptied closet. 

Strange, I thought, since this was the only room where the carpet was being replaced. 

Not so strange when I glanced at the ceiling… Needless to say, that was the end of the tour and I didn't contact that agent or their branch office ever again.  Come on, a little human decency please.

This walking tour of Menlo Park starts at its cultural epicenter, the Kepler's Bookstore on the cross of El Camino Real and Ravenswood Ave.

1. Kepler's
2. Cafe Boronne
3. The BBC
4. Menlo Park Railroad Station
5. Xanadu Gallery

1.  Kepler's 

Any trip to Menlo Park should start at Kepler's Books and Magazines, the premiere independent bookstore in Silicon Valley. A place for literati, Kepler's fosters a community atmosphere where people are encouraged to read, debate, and generate ideas.

2.   Cafe Barrone

Cafe Borrone is a European-style cafe in Silicon Valley. It's a great place to get a glass of wine and a small snack, sitting outside in the expansive courtyard with a friend or a good book from Kepler's next door.

And when the sun is out, you'll find the area completely packed with a wide variety of people enjoying Northern California weather. There's something about the atmosphere that draws not only locals, but people from all over the Peninsula.  If you decide to play hooky at Cafe Barrone, just remember that your boss might be there too!

Next stop: The BBC. Right next door.

3.  The BBC

4.  The Menlo Park Railroad Station

5.  Xanadu Gallery

The walk up Santa Cruz Avenue brings you through Downtown Menlo Park which has great eating at the Left Bank and strong specialty stores like The Runners High.

Xanadu Gallery, which sits on the southwestern end of Santa Cruz Avenue, is home to ancient artifacts and folk art from Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Almost all of the pieces in the gallery are for sale and many date back for centuries. One of the priced pieces in the collection is an andesite figure of Buddha from 9th-century Java selling for $650,000. But take heart, that's less than the price of a house in Menlo Park!

(c) Steve Leung

Recommended Reading:

• Silicon Valley Real Estate Buyer's Guide
• Walking Tour of Downtown Palo Alto
• Downtown Sunnyvale Revitalization Gets Desperately Needed Kickstart
• Goodbye Vallco, Hello Cupertino Square
• Vision North San Jose Gets Boost

When I first moved to Silicon Valley almost a decade ago… I spent a lot of time inside because of El Niño.  But when it finally dried out, I dismantled the ark I'd been building, and took to hiking around beautiful Northern California.

At the time I was an East Coast transplant from Cambridge so I didn't take the warnings about mountain lions too seriously, and to this day (knock on wood) I've never seen one personally.  But you do hear stories and the City of San Jose even publishes mountain lion and coyote safety tips.

There are noted attacks in Northern California, and though only 16 people have been injured by mountain lions since 1890, encounters have become more common as Silicon Valley's real estate stretches more into territory formerly claimed by big cats.  The San Francisco Chronicle notes that animals typically try to avoid people but also provides tips in case you run into one!

(c) Steve Leung

Related Reading:

• Walking Tours and Hiking Trails Galore
• The Silicon Valley Public Transportation Wizard
• How Long Will My Silicon Valley Commute Take?
• Walking Tour of Downtown Palo Alto

But Palo Alto, with Stanford University to the south, has grown into an upscale community complete with an active downtown area that boasts high-end stores, an affluent atmosphere, and great restaurants.

This walking tour of Palo Alto (which means “tall tree” in Spanish) starts from its historical namesake and guides you through its historic University Avenue and many of the places that make up downtown Palo Alto’s culture.

1. El Palo Alto
2. Palo Alto Southern Pacific Station
3. Digital DNA
4. The Stanford Theatre
5. University Cafe
6. Borders at the Varsity Theater
7. Robaii (closed)
8. The Cardinal Hotel
9. Palo Alto Creamery

First stop: El Palo Alto. Palo Alto Ave. and Alma St.

1.  El Palo Alto

El Palo Alto, the redwood after which the city is named, is in Palo Alto Park, at Palo Alto Ave. and Alma St., before it connects with El Camino Real. The towering tree is believed to be over 1,000 years old and originally had two trunks before the second was lost in a storm back in 1885. It served as an easily recognizable meeting point for Spanish explorer Don Gaspar de Portola who is credited for the discovery of San Francisco Bay by Europeans.

Next stop: Palo Alto Southern Pacific Station. Walk southeast down Alma St. toward downtown Palo Alto.

2.   Palo Alto Southern Pacific Station

Built as the Palo Alto Southern Pacific Station in the 1940s, this building is the current CalTrain station for downtown Palo Alto and a reminder of the dominance of the train as a means of transportation in California during the 19th and early part of the 20th century. This historic station is still a key transportation hub connecting Amtrak, CalTrain, Marguerite Shuttle, and VTA bus services.

Next stop: Digital DNA. Walk northeast down University Ave. to Pizza My Heart.

3.   Digital DNA

The “cyber egg” was created by Brazilian artists Adriana Varela and Nilton Marx and symbolizes Palo Alto as the birthplace of the technological revolution, and a centerpiece of Silicon Valley. The egg itself has electronic components welded into its shell of steel and resin and sits in a small courtyard where local bands often play during the summer.

Next stop: The Stanford Theatre. Across University Ave. from Digital DNA.

4.   The Stanford Theatre

The Stanford Theatre first opened in 1925 and is one of a dying breed of classically-designed movie houses. You’ll find many old black-and-white favorites, beyond and including standards like Casablanca to Hitchcock, playing there. And, to add to the ambiance, you’ll often hear the Mighty Wurlitzer organ during intermissions.

Next stop: University Cafe. Walk northeast down University Ave.

5.   University Cafe

This upscale cafe is the epitome of downtown Palo Alto. From its open-air arrangement in the summers, to their meticulously prepared dishes, to the expensive but never boring coffee selection, the University Cafe exudes high-end Northern California living with a cultured but graceful elegance. It’s not so trendy that you go there to be seen, but if you’re into that, it never hurts to be seen there.

Next stop: Borders at the Varsity Theater. Walk northeast down University Ave.

6.   Borders at the Varsity Theater

Unlike the Stanford Theatre, the Varsity Theater is a classic movie house that didn’t make it. But while the only constant is change, the Borders bookstore uniquely fits its traditional selection into the lobby and showcase of the old theater, and uses the traditional Spanish courtyard and fountain to their full effect in greeting customers coming in from University Ave.

Next stop: Robaii. Walk northeast down University Ave. Make a right on Cowper and stop at Hamilton Ave.

7.   Robaii (closed)

Hamilton Ave. doesn’t receive nearly the traffic of the main strip, University Ave. But there are a few places that make it worth the slight detour. The first is Robaii, which has the best falafels, baba ghanoush, and hummus in all Silicon Valley — and best of all, they have a combination platter that will give you all three!

Next stop: The Cardinal Hotel. Walk southwest up Hamilton Ave.

8.   The Cardinal Hotel

The Cardinal Hotel was originally built in 1924 and has evolved into an “old world” boutique hotel that carries itself with great dignity and nostalgia and even retains the neon which was added during the 40′s. The Cardinal Hotel is a gentle reminder that there’s still a haven for old charm of Palo Alto.

Next stop: Palo Alto Creamery. Walk southwest up Hamilton Ave.

9.   Palo Alto Creamery

The last stop on this walking tour is the sweetest, the Palo Alto Creamery. The Palo Alto Creamery makes some of the richest milkshakes in the Bay Area, from ice cream it makes a few blocks away. This diner has a traditional feel complete with red vinyl seats and stools at the counter, but you’ll find interesting variations on your standard diner fare.

(c) Steve Leung

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And when the weekend comes, so do the luxury cars of every make and model.  Who needs a car show when you have Saturday nights at Santana Row?

But Santana Row isn’t just another shopping mall.  To recreate the urban experience, they’ve created a new neighborhood all unto itself.

Atmosphere

Santana Row is designed to have the bustle and energy of an urban neighborhood complete with people dining outside, playing chess with two-foot pieces in the plaza, and sipping wine or spirits while watching the shoppers go by.

While there are major chain retailers like Best Buy and Crate and Barrel, among the list of stores on Santana Row, these behemoths are safely tucked away from where most shoppers would stroll as opposed to visit.  An outdoor courtyard with an abundance of tables and seating hosts live acts, and even the hot dog stand next to it adds to the authenticity.

Living in Santana Row

The developers deserve credit for creating an urban atmosphere from an area of urban sprawl, without making the feel contrived or out of place.  There are hints of unsubtle commercialism, though, with chains like Pasta Pomodoro and Z Gallerie, but the feel remains consistent, even if it’s a little sanitized.

This is a mixed-use development in its purest form with shops, bars, restaurants, and living spaces for thousands.  There are currently 219 impressive lofts and townhouses that sit above the shopping arcade in three distinct buildings.

The Villa Cornet

The Villa Cornet is the easiest to recognize because of the distinctive towers that flank the two corners of the building facing the main thoroughfare, one home to a Borders bookstore. 

The largest townhouses (called "villas" in Santana Row parlance) are located on its upper floors and both visitors and guests are welcomed by fountains guarding the main courtyard leading to the 21 impressive three-story units, ranging in prices over $1 million. 

Yes, they’re large and luxurious with the great amenities you’d expect, but what you pay for is the location at the epicenter of Santana Row, just a stone’s throw from every corner of the neighborhood.  In this regard, they don’t disappoint, whether you’re facing the Hotel Valencia or Downtown San Jose.

The DeForest Building 

The DeForest Building pays homage to a key figure who changed the course of electronics and ultimately computing.  This building is named after Lee DeForest, the inventor of the vacuum tube: his inventions helped lead to radio as we know it today. 

The building itself has 98 two-story lofts and is reminiscent of industrial buildings in Lee’s heyday around the turn-of-the-century.  The complex is above the Straits Cafe and is home to some of the most impressive patio spaces in Santana Row.

The Margo Building 

The Margo is opposite the DeForest Building on Santana Row.  It doesn’t have quite the backstory of the DeForest building, but nonetheless holds 100 high-end one- and two-story lofts, similar in design and construction to the ones in the DeForest Building.

Like the Villa Cornet, most units that don’t face the main strip have a view of the mountains and downtown San Jose.  And like the DeForest Building, the Margo sits only a short walk away from Westfield’s Valley Fair shopping center on the opposite side of Stevens Creek Blvd.

(c) Steve Leung

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