Back in December 2009, we posted a short entry summarizing the I Love Mountain View Site.  At that point the website was still relatively new but we saw great potential for the site becoming one of the better local resources for all who live, work  and play in Mountain View.

Well, almost a year later, the website has exceeded our expectations. The site is actually a blog site sponsored by the Mountain View Chamber of Commerce. Well vetted, with an attention for local vendors and activities, it is an excellent resource and one that should not be missed.

“I Love Mountain View” blog covers a variety of topics regarding life in our exciting community. It’s rare to find a site that addresses multiple age groups and a variety of topics.

They have categorized and tagged the posts so searching their site is very easy.  A RSS feed and an easy-to-read community calendar round out the site.  The site is sure to have  something for every member of the family:

What’s on your list of to-do’s this weekend? Peninsula life offers great weather, culture and plenty of festivals. This weekend artists and craftspeople are coming together in our neighboring Palo Alto for the annual community extravaganza: Festival of The Arts – 2010 • August 28 & 29 • 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. • University Avenue, Palo Alto.

Attracting over 150,000 people from throughout the peninsula, California and the West Coast, the Palo Alto Festival of the Arts celebrates its 29th year on the tree-lined University Avenue in downtown Palo Alto. Three hundred fine artists and crafters, whose display booths are placed back-to-back, attract a high percentage of fine artists whose work you’ll see only at a few select shows on the West Coast.

Always a crowd-pleaser, the Italian Street Painting Expo will once again offer fifty chalk artists creating larger-than-life works of art all weekend long on Tasso Street. This year’s new beneficiary of the Italian Street Painting Expo’s Kids Chalk-a-Lot area is the Palo Alto Art Center Foundation.

Art, live music, food and drink await all who attend. There are two stages on Waverley & Webster, plus street corner entertainment. Four food courts and 3 wine and beer booths can also be found at this years event. That is a lot of ground to cover -map out your way at the festival here !

Looking for a particular artist? A complete list of participating artists can be found on the official website.

Enjoy the creative talent and beauty that our great Peninsula offers!

In an ‘07 Article titled “The other Castro Street” by San Francisco Magazine the author wrote: “Mountain View is fast becoming a happening haven for techies who love to eat al fresco—and chase their free citywide Wi-Fi sessions with a few cocktails”. Thanks to its convenient location in Silicon Valley between San Jose and San Francisco, Mountain View has increasingly become not only a destination, but a place where young families can find the space they desire and enjoy urban-style amenities and culture near employers like Google, Intuit, etc…

Gables End is one such place, now offering 3- and 4-bedroom floor plans. But hurry, only 7 homes remain! For quick updates on our community you can follow along on Facebook or Twitter.

Have a look at nearby restaurants through this map (scroll):

View Larger Map

Image from Savvy Cellar Wine Bar and Shop

Anticipation grows, as one of the Peninsula’s favorite wine bars nears its Grand Opening in Mountain View at the Old Train Depot. We feel so lucky to have Savvy so close. Gables End homeowners that have enjoyed Savvy Cellar in Redwood City, now have the option of meeting up with friends and neighbors at Savvy II just minutes from their front door! Need a double date idea? Savvy Cellar was voted “Best Wine Classes in the Bay Area”

Recently posted on the Savvy Cellar Facebook Page:

“Yeah, Mtn View construction complete! Waiting on ABC license . . . sigh. In the meantime, we are cranking on internal operations – tasting a lot of bread to ensure only the best selection!:) 1 to 2 weeks to go. Opening date to be announced soon! Watch this space . . .”

Have a look at these photos of the Gables End homeowners’ newest, local amenity:

Savvy Cellar II – Week 13

Savvy Cellar II – Week 15 (Slideshow)

We have been following the progress of Savvy Cellar II in Mountain View with much anticipation.  We are so fortunate to have such a wonderful addition to our Mountain View community.

Update from week 13, courtesy of their Facebook Fan Page : Signage and outdoor patio enclosure complete. Next up minor interior finishing, retail racks, stereo and POS.

If you haven’t had a chance to see what all the excitement is about, have a look at their Flickr Slideshow.

We can’t wait for the grand opening which should be announced within a few days. Tentative plans are for a grand opening to take place within a few weeks after final building approval.

Stay tuned!!

It's Spring Festival at Sakoon

It’s Springtime and that means we begin to emerge from our nests and look forward to mingling, meeting and mixing it up. Gables End offers homeowners the chance to live near work at companies like Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, PAMF, Blogger, UStream, Actel, Siemens, Symantec, Intuit and Nokia. And while heading home for a quick cup of soup may seem dreamy in the wintertime, meeting up for lunch downtown or mingling with co-workers after hours is what makes our work-week go by faster during Spring and Summer.  Downtown Mountain View has an amazing selection of great restaurants and offers the kind of ethnic selection that is usually only found in large cities.  What’s new nearby Gables End?

Sakoon on Castro Street Begins Spring Bread Festival Lunch and Happy Hour!
April 4th thru June 20th Enjoy Regional Breads of India and Daily Specials.
Happy Hour 5 to 7 pm, daily!

We stumbled on this special “Spring Festival” deal posted on Yelp for Sakoon:

Glass of complimentary wine with dinner! (5-7 pm daily)
Your choice of complimentary dessert with dinner! (5-10 pm Sun-Th)

Did you know Gables End is on Facebook?

We invite you to join the conversation and learn more about our community and about our larger community of Mountain View and Silicon Valley. One of the benefits of life at Gables End is access to so many area amenities in Mountain View. Favorite Mountain View restaurants, bars, retailers and area business Facebook pages are hosted on our Gables End Fanpage site creating an instant “yellow-pages” in one easy to find location. We love our local community and the entrepreneurs and businesses that support it.

Every week Gables End posts updated content featuring local area businesses, events and entertainment, homeowner tips, real estate news, design trends and the latest specials at our new home community. Become a fan and join the conversation! Your neighbors would love to hear about your favorite restaurant in town or paint color, the best place for happy hour or a recommended pet sitter.  If you have a knack with design, show us what you’ve done with your space at Gables End to give others great ideas. Post a photo of your new home.

Join Gables End Community on Facebook

We can’t wait to meet you!

Curious about the history of Facebook? Read the entire evolution from Facemash in 2003  to what we know as Facebook today on Wikipedia <A History of Facebook>   “Facebook is a social networking website that is operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc.^[1] Users can add friends and send them messages, and update their personal profiles to notify friends about themselves. Additionally, users can join networks organized by city, workplace, school, and region.”

This Wednesday everyone turns Irish (it seems) in order to partake in the festivities. What are your plans for Saint Patrick’s Day? Whether you plan to stay at home and celebrate by cooking your favorite traditional foods — Irish soda bread, corned beef and cabbage + a number of green-tinted libations or you plan to head downtown to mingle and mix, we have you covered!

St. Stephens Green Irish Pub in Mountain View is starting this week with an Irish whiskey tasting paired with dishes such as smoked salmon on Irish soda bread ($35), while  Sakoon is offering lamb Irish stew ($20) and an Irish whiskey tasting with Indian Food Paring from 6-9 pm ($25). If you work in San Jose, O’Flaherty’s Irish Pub will be hosting its annual St. Patrick’s celebration with live music, Irish dancing, food and, of course, plenty of Guinness. And for those in the opposite direction Martins West in Redwood City is offering a gin tasting with K & L Wines on March 16th.

Some popular hot-spots close to Gables End Community:

Molly McGee’s 241 Castro St., Mountain View; (650) 961-0108.
St. Stephens Green Irish Pub 223 Castro St., Mountain View; (650) 964-9151.
Sakoon 357 Castro St., Mountain View; (650) 965-2000
Martin’s West  831 Main St. (near Broadway), Redwood City. (650) 366-4366.

Cooking Skills?

Sunset Magazine put together a nice comprehensive list of all the traditional Irish Fare with a Foodie twist. Click here for the recipes: A Foodie’s St. Patick’s Day

Staying home? Watch this video on Guinness:

Need some “me time”?

The stress of everyday life can take it’s toll on your physical and mental health.  That is why it is so important to schedule some time to rest and rejuvenate yourself.  What better way than a relaxing spa treatment.  We are lucky at Gables End to have an incredible spa experience right here in our very own Mountain View community – Embody Wellness Spa.

Named Best Day Spa in Silicon Valley by the San Jose Mercury News in their 2008 Reader’s Choice Rankings, Embody Wellness Spa is best known for its high quality massages and facials. Their massage services also include deep tissue, hot stone, and advanced modalities such as fertility/pregnancy massage, and Orthobionomy™.

The Spa’s holistic approach also includes waxing; teeth whitening; yoga and wellness seminars on topic ranging from stress reduction, nutrition, fitness and creating a wellness
environment in your home.

So check them out at their website, their blog , Facebook or follow them on Twitter!

We love our local businesses in Mountain View! Gables End also hosted Embody a favorite on the Gables End Facebook Page + listed the spa on its Twitter local list for your convenience.