Los Gatos
Real nice cars
Today we didn’t want to go too far so we decided to drive to Los Gatos, have breakfast and then take a walk round the town.
After having breakfast at the Los Gatos Cafe on Los Gatos Blvd, we drove towards Los Gatos, parking on Main Street near the library. As soon as we started walking towards the town center, we felt a sense of this being a nice place to live but we know how expensive the houses are. On our right was a small park, with a fountain and several sculptures.
One of the first businesses we passed had a mouth watering display of Lamborghinis, Bentleys, Farraris and other exotic sports cars. Originally the company was called Ferrari Los Gatos but now goes under the name of Silicon Valley Auto Group. Outside was parked a handsome, white, Rolls Royce. We pressed our noses to the window and stood on tiptoe to see over into the yard. They were all sleek, glossy and oh so beautiful.
Not far along we passed the Garden Inn Hotel. We could see their shady courtyard with inviting patio furniture. I understand Los Gatos is a favorite place for a romantic weekend and this looks just the right place to stay. The town center is within easy walking reach.
I don’t intend to list all the shops and businesses we passed but only those which caught the eye. I can tell you though that there numerous day spas, beauty salons, bars, coffee houses and restaurants along the way. The town is very pleasant to amble around with plenty of shady benches around to sit and chat or to watch the world go by. I even saw one guy reading a book, completely oblivious of everything going on around him.
Main street crosses Highway 17 but just before it does there is an entrance to the Los Gatos Creek Trail which runs for just over 9 miles from Lexington Reservoir, through Vascona Park, through Campbell and beyond. It is used by pedestrians and cyclists and is very popular. Los Gatos attracts a lot of joggers, walkers, and cyclists and we saw lots of Lycra clad people around.
At the other end of the bridge is an old building. The front is on the street and looks like a normal shop front, though closed and obviously soon to be remodeled. The back though, which can be seen from the bridge, is a different story. It is constructed from corrugated iron, which is years past its best and rusty, and is supported by rickety looking wooden posts. On the front window is a potted history of the building. It was built in 1905 by John A Hicks. Over the years it has been a second hand furniture shop, a tailor, a shoe repair shop, a sporting goods shop and a plumbers. It was bought in September 2008 and is now called the Flick House.
The next interesting shop was Gina’s. At first I thought it was an antiques shop but then realized it sold objects made out of rush, wood and gourds – all very colorful. As I passed the door there was a lovely smell of wood and other aromas which somehow made me think of Africa.
Then we came to the Lost Gatos Coffee and Roasting Company. This is definitely the place to be, judging by the number of bikes tied to every available tree, lamppost and seat, and the mass of people congregating outside, chatting and drinking coffee. We sat for a while outside, petted a large golden retriever who was patiently waiting for it’s master and listened to the conversations going on around us as friends greeted each other enthusiastically and spoke about everything except the economic situation. It also gave me a chance to catch up on my writing.
Across crossing Montebello Way, we walked passed small park. I guess this is the main square and where a Farmers Market is held every Sunday. Unfortunately today is Saturday but we will come again on a Sunday so we can check it out. I understand they have great crepes here.
At the junction with Santa Cruz Avenue we turned right and ambled from side to side down the main shopping street. Here there is a fine collection of shops selling all kinds of things from high class furnishings to clothes. We did make a couple of stops. Tom spotted a gallery called Photograph so we crossed the road to investigate. Their main business is frames and it was fascinating to see how many different ways there are to display photographs. They also sell prints, bins and bins of them, and we leafed happily through them. Tom spotted a few he had seen before.
Nearby we ventured into Powell’s Sweet Shoppe and came away with some Liquorice All Sorts, a bar of dark chocolate for Tom and some chocolate covered almonds. It was not quite the same as a dedicated sweet shop in England, which would have rows and rows of glass jars filled with the favorites of my past – Humbugs, Barley Sugar, Butterscotch, Nougat, Wine Gums, Acid Drops, Bulls Eyes (I could go on and on) – but the the closest I have seen in California.
In the middle of Santa Cruz Ave is the old Los Gatos Theater which is now a movie house. On offer at the moment is Slumdog Millionaire and Watchman.
The building I liked best by far is the Queen Anne Victorian which now houses Trevese Restaurant and Lounge. What a magnificent structure. Neither Tom nor I took a picture of it but if you want to see it check this website . Originally it was a residence, then a mortuary before it became a restaurant called Chart House. Now it is under new ownership and the Trevese is proud of its recently awarded Michelin Star. What a wonderfully romantic place to go for dinner. Sigh. Maybe one day Cinderella will go to the ball.
Our next stop was Williams-Sonoma. For those of you who do not live in North America, this is a high class cookware shop. We were looking for a glass carafe for our coffee press but came away with an oven mitt and some cookie cutters. I have been yearning for good old-fashioned English scones recently and have experimented several times – all without much success. I will keep trying though. Maybe it is the flour here or perhaps I have lost the touch. If anybody out there has a recipe for fluffy English scones I would love to hear from you.
Our route back to the car was down Elm Street to University Avenue. Walking on
Old Town (not really) Los Gatos
Elm past the car park, I saw a parking police person carrying a weird contraption. It looked like a white baseball bat with a lilac end. Tom said it was used to mark the tires. If the cars were still parked when she returned after two hours, they would get a ticket. Very clever.
On University, we crossed the road to Old Town. Now this is not really the old town but a nice little shopping court. On one end is Borders, where we wiled away half an our browsing through the new books. The other shops include Talbots, White House Black Market, Gap, Banana Republic, Papyrus and several more. There are three places to eat but my personal favorite is the California Cafe. In fact we returned a couple of days later and had a nice meal there.
Our very last stop was in Sur La Table – another cookware shop – where we did manage to buy a new carafe. Mission accomplished. Time to head home.
March 09 2009 06:21 pm | Neighborhoods
