Summer is here and  that means Bay Area festival season is in full swing. We can think of no better way to spend a sunny weekend day than with a fine collection of exhibits, great music and wonderful food & drink.

If this type of venue sounds appealing to you, head to downtown Menlo Park for the 24th Annual Connoisseurs’ Marketplace, July 17-18. This year’s event will feature something for everyone – world-class art by 250 of America’s top artists, two days of great music, engaging chefs’ demos, fabulous food and drink, tons of fun for kids, artisan specialty food purveyors, a new collector car show, home and garden exhibits, health and wellness displays and an organic and green products showcase.

Watch the video below and take a look at their website for more information.

Do you love the water and the great outdoors? Then you’ll be excited about all of the work being done to improve Alviso Park.

For the first time in 25 years, recreational boaters can launch their vessels from Alviso Marina County Park. Residents of South Bay and the Peninsula are now more connected than ever and have an easier way to get to San Francisco Bay.

The new boat launch includes a pier for non-motorized craft, such as kayaks and canoes, and another for launching large motorized boats. This improvement effort is part of an ongoing project to revitalize the Alviso area. The Alviso Park upgrade also includes a parking lot for boat trailers. Phase 1 of the wetland improvement project, completed in 2005, involved such improvements as walking boardwalks throughout the slough area, observation decks, picnic areas, natural landscaping and interpretive trails.

Once a hotbed of activity for fishermen and businesses, the local residents believe that the new launch will be good for Alviso. Boaters and non-boaters alike will find something new to do with this ambitious wetland improvement.

Having convenient access to outdoor recreation in such close proximity to Gables End is just one of the many reasons that we love Mountain View and all it has to offer.

Pinot With Fido

Location: Mountain Winery
Time: June 20. 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Gables End is a pet-friendly community and our greater community of Mountain View offers our four-legged friends a lot of parks and outdoor spaces to socialize and enjoy life here as much as our homeowners do. Since so many of you love your pooch, we thoughts we’d mention this event… Back by popular demand – this is a unique opportunity to bring your pets along for an afternoon of wine tasting at the picturesque Mountain Winery.

The Mountain Winery invites you and your four-legged friend to their Pets and Pinot Wine Tasting event. Enjoy a complimentary taste of Estate Pinot Noir and beautiful vistas from the outdoor Vineyard Grill Patio, boasting spectacular views of the Silicon Valley.

You will be delighted with the amazing wine and your pet will be delighted with a treat! Please note that leashes are required — and clean up supplies, if needed.

More information can be found on their website.

Join us this Saturday from 12-3 for our Fun In The Sun event. Tour the homes and enjoy delicious BBQ from Andy’s Bar-B-Que with all the fixins’. With over 100 happy owners already calling Gables End “home”, come see for yourself why we are Mountain View’s best selling residential community. You could be in your home this summer, but you have to act fast as there are just a few homes remaining at Gables End.
2 Model Homes will be open for tour:
Glencoe- 3 bed/ 2.5 bath, great for entertaining, granite counter tops in kitchen, high ceilings, patio/deck, extra storage, 2 car garage, and skylight.
Carlyle – 3 bed/ 2.5 bath, bonus room, large windows, great locations, granite counter tops in kitchen, 9 foot ceilings, patio, and 2 car garage.

Our featured Home of the Week is 1923 Newbury Drive – 3 Bedroom, 2.5 Bath, 2-Car Garage, Gorgeous Mountain Views, Southwest Exposure and Tons of Natural Light! Only $659,900!

If you haven’t had a chance to visit the sales office at Gables End and see what our community is all about , take a look at the video below.

Hope to see you on Saturday! Have a look at the Andy’s Bar-B-Que Menu here

Gables End has over 100 Happy Homeowners and our Final Phase is nearly SOLD OUT. Our featured home is 1941 Newbury Drive, a 3-bedroom, 2.5 bath corner home with stunning hardwood flooring and a 2-car garage! Great Mountain View value at $664,900. Visit our sales center for your private tour today.

Science and Art collide at what has become one of the most popular events in the Bay Area, The Maker Faire.

What is Maker Faire? Maker Faire is a newfangled fair that brings together science, art, craft and engineering plus music in a fun, energized, and exciting public forum. The aim is to inspire people of all ages to roll up their sleeves and become makers. This family-friendly event showcases the amazing work of all kinds of makers – anyone who is embracing the DIY spirit and wants to share their accomplishments with an appreciative audience.*

More than 600 exhibits will be on display at the fifth annual Maker Faire Bay Area, which will be held this coming Saturday and Sunday, May 22 and 23, at the San Mateo County Event Center. The Faire will be open Saturday from 10am – 8pm and Sunday 10am – 6pm. Children under 3 are free. According to the organizers, O’Reilly Media, the event this year will likely draw more than 70,000 attendees.

More information can be found on their website.

*http://makerfaire.com

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

Bay Area Festival season officially launches on May 15-16 in Mountain View where walkable Castro Street will be transformed into a  feast of people and colorful tents for the 14th Annual A La Carte & Art. Thousands of visitors are expected to gather in Silicon Valley for this celebration of the arts.

The open-air festival will feature two days of:

• live music
• a fine arts & crafts show with 200 talented exhibitors showing their handcrafted wares
• artisan specialty food purveyors
• a farmers’ market with fresh seasonal produce
• festive food and drink with premium wine, microbrews and margaritas
• health and wellness displays
• an organic and green products showcase
• home and garden exhibits
• kids’ amusements in the Tons of Fun Zone
• and, making its festival debut, a classic car show — “A La Car & Art”

Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days. Admission is free. More information regarding the event can be found here.

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)