Do you know the way to San Jose? (Proxam's Hometown W/O)
Written: Nov 07 '03 (Updated Nov 07 '03)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Beautiful weather and many activities to keep you busy
Cons: Restaurants: Not enough!
The Bottom Line: San Jose isn't such a bad place to live after all!
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| pilarzmom's Full Review: San Jose |
Do you know the way to San Jose?
I've been away so long.
I may go wrong and lose my way.
Do you know the way to San Jose?
I'm going back to find some peace of mind in San Jose . . .
(Burt Bacharach/Hal David, originally sung by Dionne Warwick)
Maybe the question should be, "Do you know where San Jose is?" Okay, so you don't. We don't take any offense. Well, maybe a little. San Joseans have gotten used to that but still have developed a bit of an inferiority complex. So I'm here to educate you a little bit about this city that lies in the shadow of its much better known neighbor, San Francisco.
First, a little quick history on how San Jose became my hometown. Like so many residents here, I wasn't born in California. Much like the gold rush days of California, many people are lured here by big dreams of making it rich. Others just come here because they love the great weather, with over 300 days of sunshine a year. Myself? Well, I was young and in love. My boyfriend (now husband) received a job offer back in 1991. As he was tired of the dreary Oregon weather and had hopes of striking it rich, he moved here 12 years ago. I followed shortly on his heels, much to my parents chagrin. But fortunately, I made a decent man out of him. So now here we live, firmly entrenched in the California lifestyle.
Anyhow, back to San Jose.
A little demographic information
San Jose is the third largest city in California, behind San Diego (#2) and Los Angeles (#1). Nationally we're ranked #11, with a population of approximately 920,000. San Francisco, by comparison, has a population of around 770,000.
The land area in San Jose is 177 square miles, as compared with only 47 square miles in San Francisco. Ouch, those poor little folks up in the City are packed in like sardines, you might say.
Originally our city was settled and named "Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe" by the Spanish in 1777. It was officially incorporated in 1850 and actually served as California's first capital from 1849-1850. Too bad we lost the title. Maybe I might get to see the Governator in person a few times then.
Major Industries in San Jose and "Silicon Valley"
Once upon a time San Jose was know as the "Valley of Hearts Delight" in reference to the acres and acres of fruit orchards that stretched from one end of the valley to the other. However, during the '50s and the '60s the birth of the semiconductor industry in Palo Alto paved the way for the beginning of the end for the agriculture industry in San Jose and neighboring towns in the Valley. The construction of industrial parks boomed and big companies such as Fairchild Semiconductor and IBM moved in. More freeways were built and neighboring towns such as Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Mountain View, and Palo Alto all seemed to melt together.
Then the '80s rolled around and the Valley saw the birth of Sun Microsystems and Cisco Systems, two companies who embraced and promoted the Open Systems concept. This paved the way for the Internet boom of the late 1990s. Networking companies were popping up by the dozens. Software developers were scrambling to make sure their programs ran on the open operating systems that customers were so eagerly embracing as well as trying to integrate into the internet, as companies moved toward a global manufacturing model. And of course there were the dot-com companies who were sprouting up daily try to get their share of the business in the burgeoning internet industry. Well, as we all know the dot-com bubble burst came in 2001 and things came a tumbling down here in San Jose and Silicon Valley. Companies closed, layoffs by the thousands, and many shattered dreams ensued.
However, things are looking better these days. While it will more than likely never return to the glory days of the late '90s and the year 2000, people are starting to feel cautiously optimistic. Campanies such as Adobe and Cisco are still here while others such as IBM Disk Drive Systems are gone. Hopefully, San Jose and Silicon Valley will find a way to reinvent themselves once again.
So what's there to do in San Jose?
For family fun, a popular location is Paramount's Great America,with traditional and "thrill" rides. In reality it's in neighboring Santa Clara but we won't get sidetracked on that point. If you're looking for some beach action as well as a beach side amusement park, you might want to check out the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Take Hwy. 17 to Santa Cruz, about a 30-45 minute drive. Another recent entry into the local amusement park rooster is Bonfante Gardens in Gilroy, about 30 minutes south of San Jose, on Hwy. 152, just off Hwy 101. This new park features unique gardens and gentler rides especially suited for younger children. They were having some financial difficulties during the first few years of operation but were purchased by Paramount and now have the benefit of more advertising dollars.
San Jose does not have a big zoo, but its small Happy Hollow Zoo & Park at Kelley Park is a popular destination for the kids nonetheless. The kids' favorite part of the zoo is the petting zoo with the pygmy goats. You may want to check out the adjacent History Park as well. It features original and replica homes, businesses, and landmarks. My kid's favorite part of the park is the old-fashioned ice cream parlor and the trolley.
Another fun park to take the kids is the Emma Prusch Farm Park. This park, located just a few miles from downtown San Jose, is actually used by kids who participate in 4-H and FFA to board their farm animals. Many school kids get to see real livestock such as cows, pigs, and sheep up close for the very first time. Of course, some of them are turned off by the smell of the barns but most are thrilled by the experience.
If you're more of a museum type of person, San Jose does have a small offering. For kids there's the Children's Discovery Museum. I usually take my kids at least once a year, although I think my 8-year-old is probably too old for it now. It's most appropriate for the 5 and under set.
For you techie types, check out the Tech Museum of Innovation, or simply, "The Tech." It features all sorts of scientific and technical displays, from earthquake simulation to satellites. The latest exhibit is their Grossology: the (Impolite) Science of the Human Body. I'm taking my boys next week and they can't wait! The museum also has an IMAX Theater.
Of course there's the San Jose Museum of Art, housed in the historic old Post Office. Admission is actually free now, although membership is encouraged to help support the museum.
Other interesting museums include the Rosicrucian Museum, which is an Egyptian history museum, and the New Almaden Mercury Mining Museum which is focuses on the history of the quicksilver mining industry in the Almaden Valley.
For sports fans, San Jose is the home of the NHL San Jose Sharks. If hockey isn't your cup of tea we also have a soccer team, San Jose Earthquakes, and an arena football team, the San Jose Sabercats.
If none of the above interest you, perhaps you would just want to settle for a picnic, a walk or a bike ride. San Jose has an abundance of great parks suitable for a variety of activities. For hiking or biking you might want to check out Alum Rock Park or Santa Teresa County Park which are in the foothills of San Jose and have good paths for biking and hiking. Another biking alternative is the 31-mile Coyote Creek Bike Path that runs from Hellyer Park in San Jose to Anderson Lake in Morgan Hill. If you're fascinated by rose gardens, you can check the San Jose Municipal Rose Garden with over 4000 rose bushes.
Shopping
San Jose, like so many cities in the West, has turned into a strip-mall mecca. It does have a few decent malls, most notably the Valley Fair Mall, which actually is in Santa Clara. Valley Fair was remodeled a few years ago and now has 250 tennants. The primary anchor merchants are Macy's and Nordstom.
Now competing for shopping dollars with Valley Fair is the new, glitzy Santana Row with primarily high-end retailers such as Gucci and Escada. Pretty soon the Salvatore Ferragamo shop will be open as well as Chef Martin Yan's flagship restaurant. This fancy upscale center currently has 84 commercial tenants and 500 upscale apartments with mock European architecture designed to create the feel of a European city. However, this grand project almost didn't come to fruition as 3 months prior to its opening a year ago, San Jose's worst fire in history destroyed half of the apartments and also resulted in a delay in the opening of the stores. But things appear to be back on track and people are checking out this new addition to San Jose shopping scene, even if it is only to window shop.
Hotels
San Jose hotels has a variety of hotels. I've dined at a few but never stayed overnight, so I'm only going to mention a few that I know by reputation. The best known is probably the Fairmont in downtown San Jose. Two other hotels in downtown San Jose are both older historical hotels: the Hotel De Anza and the Hyatt Saint Claire. One other that comes highly recommended through former co-workers who came into town for a sales meeting is the Hayes Mansion in south San Jose. This 41,000 square foot Mediterranean style mansion was constructed in 1905 for Mary Hayes and her family. Eventually it was sold to the City of San Jose and turned into a convention and meeting center after the completion of a new wing in 1994. They offer wonderful packages for couples that include massages and brunch. What makes it different from so many hotels in this region are its beautiful grounds. It is a perfect place for a weekend getaway.
Restaurants
Quite honestly, the restaurant selection in San Jose could stand some improvement. However, if you search hard you can find a few decent restaurants. In downtown San Jose, La Pastaia and A.P. Stumps are two of our favorites. Closer to my home is my favorite steakhouse, Hungry Hunter. If we're in the mood for Mexican, we might try Chevy's, although the best Mexican food is found at Maria Elena's in the tiny town of Alviso, which borders San Jose to the north. Unfortunately word got out and now Cisco employees pack the place at lunchtime. For Chinese my neighbors swear by the Taiwan Restaurant in the Willow Glen neighborhood of San Jose. My husband, who is Chinese, didn't really give his thumbs up on this place, however. He prefers to go to San Francisco or nearby Milpitas for the real stuff. For Japanese, we are absolutely loyal to a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant called Shiki, located in south San Jose. My husband and I will each get a combination dinner (for example: Sashimi/Tempura or Tempura/Teriyaki) for under $20 total. I can't even finish mine.
The one little tidbit I want to share with you is the delicious Vietnamese sandwiches we get from Lee's Sandwich Shop which has several locations in San Jose and in Southern California. These delightful sandwiches are only $1.70 and are made on wonderfully crusty baguette rolls made fresh at the restaurant. Our favorite is the Vietnamese Barbecue Pork Sandwich. It is so yummy I could eat one every day and never grow tired of it.
So there you have it . . .
San Jose isn't such a bad place after all. We certainly have a bit more breathing space than San Francisco and the air is certainly better than L.A. The hills are green and pretty in the winter and spring. I have an orange tree in my back yard that produces oranges January through March or so. It doesn't get nearly as cold and windy as San Francisco. And there are more than enough activities to keep you busy. So, I say to San Jose, get over your inferiority complex and be proud!
Check out Proxam's hometown W/O: http://www.epinions.com/content_3548618884
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Families
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