The 'Guide Me Home to San Jose' Blog

With all of the hardship due to storms and floods elsewhere in the country it must sound a bit smug to comment on how nice it is in Northern California just now, but I just can’t stand it. This past weekend we made a quick trip to our home in Lake County and traveled through the beautiful Napa Valley along the Silverado Trail. The weather was perfect and the wildflowers were blooming on all the hillsides. Wild mustard covered the fields like a golden carpet and lupine and California Poppies lined the roadway as we traveled. Of course, the vines were starting to sprout their greenery with the promise of the region’s great wines we enjoy so much. Spring driving in the Valley is always done with some caution as we encounter the sightseers and limousines full of wine tasters. We were on a mission and really didn’t stop for any samples on this particular trip since it is easy to get caught up in the wine culture and forget about the driving still ahead. Once in Lake County we were able to relax with a glass of Ceago Sauvignon Blanc from the Fetzer owned winery just down the road from our place. Ahhh, Spring!

Posted By: Charlene & David Todd

Originally called Camino del la Puerta de la Laura, this now bustling street once made its way through an early Spanish rancho. The thoroughfare was renamed in honor of Abraham Lincoln following his tragic assassination. Although most of San Jose sprang into being after the 1960s, at least one property, the Roberto Adobe, or Lauraville as it is now called, dates from the Spanish era.

Today’s Lincoln Avenue is a busy mix of locally-owned shops featuring everything from wine to wedding bands. Many terrific restaurants and coffee shops line the route between Minnesota and Coe avenues. The best “fresh Mex” is my favorite, Aqui; you will not find more wonderful Chinese fare than at Taiwan or a better spot for a casual breakfast or lunch than Bill’s Café. Silicon Valley is known for its world-wide reach through technology; its diversity is well-represented by Willow Glen’s restaurants.

Watch for more about Willow Glen in future blogs!

Posted By: Colleen Badagliacco

Almaden Valley is truly the “Valley of the Hearts Desire.” It is a combination of lovely farm lands, businesses, schools, parks and homes. There is a mixture of tract homes and many multi-million dollar homes. It offers a lake, a dam and hiking trails beside a gurgling creek. There are sightings of wild turkey, quail, bobcats and an occasional mountain lion. Many types of birds make Almaden their home. Almaden is family oriented with many activities for children as well as the entire family. I will be listing many of these activities in following articles.

Posted By: Charlene & David Todd

When my family moved to San Jose several decades ago, we sought an area where “the trees were taller than the houses.” At that time, San Jose, once known as the Valley of Hearts Delight for its vast orchards blanketing the Santa Clara Valley, was fast replacing trees with tracts, and ranch-style homes with barely- planted trees were the order of the day.

Willow Glen quickly became our neighborhood of choice. Custom homes from many generations form the heart of the ZIP code 95125. The Willows, as it was once called, was one of the earliest settled areas of San Jose. Many homes date from the early 1900s and before. For a short time in the 1920s Willow Glen even incorporated itself as a town. The City of San Jose now protects the vast majority of its trees through a Tree Ordinance, but until recently Willow Glen was one of the few neighborhoods where the trees were actually taller than the homes they shaded.

Posted By: Colleen Badagliacco