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Live In Los Gatos

Los Gatos, California

Los Gatos real estate, neighborhoods, condos, houses, homes, market trends, history, events, lifestyle, parks, events, businesses, home, Mary Pope-Handy

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Live In Los Gatos

Winding Down the Summer in Los Gatos

Aug. 23, 2009
Categorized in: Los Gatos Events

Overall, we have enjoyed a milder summer here in Los Gatos this year.  We didn't have quite so many days that broke a hundred degrees.  Just as well, since there were more "staycations" here too!

As the summer begins edging toward fall, perhaps you're not feeling relaxed and energiezed - maybe you've been all work, no play.  But even if you're not going on a trip, you can still indulge in a little local R & R, and much of it's at no cost. Need a couple of ideas? 

Music, music everywhere:

As you know, we have free music in Los Gatos:

Music in the Park 8/23/2009 5-7 pm Led Zepagain  
Jazz on the Plazz 8/26/2009 6:30 - 8:30 pm Cleo Laine & John Dankworth  
Music in the Park 8/30/2009 5-7 pm Journey Unauthorized

San Jose State also has a great, free music concert series called the Summer Pops Music Series that just began on Aug 22nd and the San Jose Music in the Park has one more event left. Please visit the San Jose Metblogs page for the schedule (which includes both) - there are four more to come, including one later today)

Are you "music'd out"?  Need something else to do?  Few more ideas:

  • Testarossa's Wine & Cheese Weekend is happening now!  Today from noon to four pm, visit the Testarossa tasting room and for $10 per person, sample five cheeses along with their delicious wines.  (Also note Sept 6th, "Music on the Patio". See site for more info.)
  • Los Gatos enjoys two museums (one art, one history) plus a museum gallery.  Events and museum access are low cost to free - please see the museums' events page online for details
  • For a list of more venues, from the RIngling Brothers Circus to Mountain Winery events, please visit the Merc's events page online - loads of local events in San Jose, Saratoga, Campbell and all over Silicon Valley

Got a favorite local event?  Feel free to post it in a comment below. Although normally I delete "ads" that seem like spam, this time I'll make an exception - feel free to promote YOUR favorite local South Bay event here on Live in Los Gatos!
 

Images of the 2008 Los Gatos Holiday Parade

Dec. 7, 2008
Categorized in: Photos of Los Gatos

Please enjoy the 90 second slideshow and additional photographs from yesterday's annual Los Gatos Holiday Parade. Many thanks to my husband, Jim Handy, for providing the many photos. He is a volunteer with the Los Gatos Parks Commission and a few of the images were from the float.

Would you like to see more pics and info? The Los Gatos Observer has a great article with lots of closeup shots and names:  Los Gatos Holds 52nd Parade

Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year to Everyone!

Funstuff in Los Gatos

Aug. 4, 2007
Categorized in: Los Gatos Events

Los Gatos is hopping with things to do in early August! Take a look at these events and see what fits into your schedule!

Aug. 4: 12 noon - 2pm  (FREE MUSIC) at Borders in Old Town, Los Gatos - Debbie Thacker, a songwriter with mixed pop, jazz and folk,

Aug. 4: Annual Los Gatos Shakespeare in the Park - Pericles, Prince of Tyre
at Oak Meadow Park at the corner of Blossom Hill Rd. & University Ave.
(Tickets 800-838-3006, Office 408-996-0635) www.festivaltheatreensemble.org

Aug. 5 : 5:00 to 7:00 PM Music in the Park (FREE MUSIC) - Sage (Rock & Roll, great band!) at Civic Center lawn at 110 E. Main St. (Community Services 408-354-6820) http://www.losgatosca.gov/index.asp?NID=1220

Aug. 8: Jazz on the Plazz  (FREE MUSIC) - Nancy Kelly & Giacomo Gates (A Tribute to Louis Prima) at Park Plaza at Main St and Santa Cruz Ave. www.jazzontheplazz.com

Aug. 9-12: 8pm-11pm nightly In the Park After Dark Movie Week at Vasona Park
. Join park staff for a family movie under the stars. Bring a low beach chair (or blanket) and a flashlight. Please call 408-354-2608 for movie titles and information.

Aug. 11: Los Gatos Dammit Run hosted by Los Gatos Athletic Association. 5.0 miles. Starts and finishes at Los Gatos High School. (Call 408-354-7365, 395-4311)

Aug. 11 & 12: Fiesta de Artes at Los Gatos Civic Center hosted by Kiwanis Club of Los Gatos (Terry Martin 408-395-8016) http://www.los-gatos.ca.us/los_gatos/assoc_clubs/kiwanis/fiesta.html  10 am to 6 pm. Great art, wine, music, and food!  http://www.lgfiesta.org/  This is a don't miss fun event!

Harry Potter Release Party at Borders...
and other events around Los Gatos

Jul. 19, 2007
Categorized in: Los Gatos Events

Having fun...Los Gatos is home to many wonderful events, many of which are free - but few of which are as highly anticipated as the Grand Hallows Ball at Border's in Old Town Los Gatos (50 University Avenue). July 20th. The party runs from 9:30 - midnight. Books go on sale at 12:01am July 21st and those who pre-ordered will be paying 40% less. See you there!!

While we're talking upcoming events, here are a few more happening nearby in the next few days:

Friday July 20: Eddie Money performs at the (Santa Cruz) Beach Boardwalk's Free Friday Night Concerts, one at 6:30pm and one at 8:30pm.

Friday July 20: 8 pm Los Gatos Shakespeare in the Park - Julius Caesar at Oak Meadow Park at the corner of Blossom Hill Rd. & University Ave. (Tickets 800-838-3006, Office 408-996-0635) www.festivaltheatreensemble.org

Sat/Sun July 21-22: Relay For Life of Los Gatos 10am Saturday - 10am Sunday. An overnight event at Fisher Middle School ground to walk or run laps to raise money for American Cancer Society.  For more information, or to register, call 408-688-0108.

Saturday July 21: 5 - 7pm (FREE Music) Vasona Vibrations Outdoor Music Series - Ambergrass Unlimited (sibs Anne and Phil Pflager doing country/bluegrass)  at Vasona Park. www.southbayfolks.org/vasona

Saturday July 21: 12 noon - 2pm (FREE MUSIC) Music at Border's in Old Town, LG Katie Joy, acoustic singer/songwriter

Saturday July 21: 8pm Los Gatos Shakespeare in the Park - Pericles, Prince of Tyre at Oak Meadow Park at the corner of Blossom Hill Rd. & University Ave. (Tickets 800-838-3006, Office 408-996-0635 www.festivaltheatreensemble.org

Sunday July 22: 5 - 7 pm (FREE MUSIC) Music in the Park - San Jose Opera Guild (Operatic Arias)
at Civic Center lawn at 110 E. Main St. 5:00 to 7:00 PM (Community Services 408-354-6820)
http://www.losgatosca.gov/index.asp?NID=1220

Sunday July 22: Los Gatos Shakespeare in the Park - Tartuffle by Moliere at Oak Meadow Park at the corner of Blossom Hill Rd. & University Ave. (Tickets 800-838-3006, Office 408-996-0635) www.festivaltheatreensemble.org

Need more ideas for this weekend?  Check out the Villa Montalvo (Saratoga) events calendar, and also the (Saratoga) Mountain Winery's concert offerings as well.  

Why Live in Los Gatos?

Nov. 18, 2006
Categorized in: Los Gatos Events

Why Live in Los Gatos?

All of the San Jose and Silicon Valley area has great weather and low crime. Lots of areas are pretty.  Several cities have schools that rival Los Gatos for excellence. So why chose Los Gatos to call home in particular?
 
It’s a fun town.    It has a strong sense of community.   And there is truly something for everyone. (And yes: excellent schools, low crime, scenic beauty are all here too.)

The outdoors is great in Los Gatos, and it is a big part of what makes this town special.  In summer, the townsfolk enjoy free music on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays with Jazz on the Plazz, Vasona Vibrations, Music at Borders in Old Town and  Music in the Park.  Oak Meadow Park features Shakespeare in the Park under the stars too. The Los Gatos Creek Trail pleases athletes, who can enjoy fabulous scenery for biking, rollerblading, running, or walking.  We have great parks throughout the town, and they have everyone in mind from little tots to people on horseback. Our county park, Vasona, has boating and kids and adults can take sailing lessons. Doglovers even have a dog park.  Outdoor wintertime festivities include the tree lighting ceremony the first Friday evening in December, carriage rides through the historic downtown, and a holiday parade the first Saturday in December plus a beautiful Fantasy of Lights display each night at Vasona Park from about Thanksgiving through the last day of the year.   There is an arts & crafts fair, a Fourth of July town picnic, and an annual carnival too - you name it!

There’s plenty to do indoors too, from shopping and dining toan art museum, a history museum, clubs, volunteer opportunities and spas!  Los Gatos boasts a community movie theater on North Santa Cruz Avenue, in the heart of the downtown. Dinner and a movie? Park once: dine, view, and stroll. This is the town experience! Testarossa Vineyards is located at the historic Jesuit Novitiate just steps from downtown and there are many more wineries just into the Santa Cruz Mountains – a very quick drive from town. There are restaurants galore, at every price point and with every taste in mind (steakhouse, Chinese, Italian, Mexican, Japanese, Thai, Viet Namese, Indian, Romanian, Mediterranean, hamburger and hot dog joints). One of them, Manresa, has won many culinary awards. Another one, Campo de Bocce, features bocce ball courts – you can eat and play! Additionally, there are many coffee houses (unique as well as the chain stores), a great gelato shop (Dolce Spazio) and even a Belgian Chocolate store.

Shopping is a dream, from toys to clothes to household and electronics to the most expensive cars on the road today.

For a more day-to-day example of the variety that exists, let me use grocery shopping as an example.  Though a small town, Los Gatos has every kind of grocery store you could hope for: Trader Joe’s, Nob Hill, Lunardi’s, Whole Foods to Safeway – all without leaving the town.  In summer we still have available an old style produce stand on Winchester Blvd, and every Sunday there’s a great Farmer’s Market at the Town Plaza Park.

Many Los Gatons also belong to a faith community of some sort. We have much variety there too!  Here you find the sense of community in action each Thanksgiving, as there is an interfaith Thanksgiving celebration hosted by several groups.

The town has a teen center and a senior center. Parks & Rec has classes and "funstuff" for all.

Investigate Los Gatos. It enjoys being a part of a large metropolitan area, but is not swallowed up in it. Los Gatos is distinct. It's fun. It's got a great sense of community and belonging and there really is "something for everyone". 
 Living here is wonderful.  Contact me if you'd like more info on the town and living here.  It is a great place to call home!