May 20, 2012

Korean food court & bakery at Lawrence Plaza, Santa Clara CA

Korean food court Santa Clara CA

Korean food court in Santa Clara CA

Paris Baguette bakery in Santa Clara CA

The Look Team loves Paris Baguette, Santa Clara CA

One huge reason The Look Team loves Silicon Valley is the diversity of the area. You can almost find anything from any corner of the world. Recently, I had trouble finding Egyptian food (finally found a listing for a small restaurant in San Francisco) but aside from that, it’s hard to exhaust all of the cultural culinary opportunities where we live.

One favorite spot is “Lawrence Plaza” which houses a Korean food court and also the Paris Baguette bakery — a Korean-run European bakery. My recommendation is to go first to Paris Baguette late morning (so the optimal amount of pastry variety will be available) and pick out your dessert first, to go (or have it for breakfast with coffee). But you’ll surely want to buy a box of items to take home too. When you first walk in to the attractive, bustling space, you’ll pick up a tray and a piece of wax paper and tongs. Then your selection adventure begins. Last time I went I got 6 or 7 pastries for under $14. Most single breads and pastries are $2-3 and the cakes are a bit more per piece. They also have baguettes and loaves of bread. Their other offerings consist of traditional bites like chocolate croissants and apple danishes — but then they also have cream cheese donuts, tapioca bread, pineapple pastries, savory croquettes, etc. There is even a “mocha bread” that is a chocolate bread that is not too sweet that has a mocha buttercream inside- a very creative place. When you check out, if you are buying bread and pastries it will be in a plain brown box. You can ask for a logo sticker if you are taking the box as a gift. However, if you are buying a whole cake, you will get an impressive looking blue and white Paris Baguette box.

Paris Baguette pastries, Santa Clara CA

Paris Baguette pastries, Santa Clara CA

With box in tow, you can graduate to going to lunch at the Korean food court in the same building. My pick is “Seoul Jang” for the claypot sizzling tofu soup which you can get with beef, seafood, or mushroom (and there are other choices too). The sizzling soup is accompanied by salads, pickles and kim chee. It’s around $8 depending on which type you get and two people can share for a very light lunch. My second favorite is “Dishes” food court booth which sells the traditional Bibimbap and other dishes as well.

If you craft your own lineup at Lawrence Plaza, definitely let me know what you like best so we can try it too. We are all truly blessed to live in this area.

A little further down the road, there’s Hue Restaurant & Lounge, a dive bar where you can enjoy Korean Hite beer and spicy nibbles. That is, if you’re looking for a nighttime option.

Paris Baguette, 3561 El Camino Real #75, Santa Clara CA 95051 408-260-0404

Seoul Jang, 3561 El Camino Real #30, Santa Clara CA 95051 408-244-0080

Dishes, 3561 El Camino Real, Santa Clara CA 95051 408-261-1002

Hue Restaurant & Lounge, 3145 El Camino Real, Santa Clara CA 95051 (408) 244-9950

——–

Getting ready to do a real estate transaction? See below. We love Silicon Valley and we’re ready to help.

Home selling? Find out your home value & start the consulting process for getting your house ready to sell by clicking My Home Value in the top navigation.

Getting ready to buy a house? Use our Santa Clara County property search tool to create & save your search. Or, receive custom information from The Listing Look team (such as only condos & townhomes for sale in San Jose that are short sales, etc.) by clicking on the “free list” button below.

Condos and Townhomes for Sale San Jose CASearch Condos and Townhomes for Sale San Jose CA

Share this:
Share this page via Email Share this page via Stumble Upon Share this page via Digg this Share this page via Facebook Share this page via Twitter

Santana Row Part IV: Upcoming Events At The Row

Click here to read Part III.

Santana Row is always bustling with excitement and events.  Here is a list of some upcoming events happening & you can always check their site for more:

  • Tuesday Wine Nights at Flying Lizard Design takes place the first Tuesday of every month.  Come in and enjoy a glass of wine while you browse through hand-made jewelry.
  • Yoga classes at lululemon athletica every Sunday during the month of February from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m..
  • Enjoy Saturday and Sunday brunch at Straits from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Build your own Bloody Mary at Village California Bistro every Saturday and Sunday 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 pm..
  • Wine & Dine Around benefitting Go Red for Women on Feb. 19 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.  Enjoy wine, while you shop and raise awareness of the impact of heart disease and stroke on women.  This is an exclusive event, with tickets priced at $30.
  • Kids cooking class at Maggiano’s Feb. 20 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.  This event is for children ages 4-13 and costs $45 per child.
  • Lunch on The Row Plus a Show!  Enjoy lunch at a selection of Santana Row restaurants Monday through Thursday in March for $20 and then receive a free ticket to a movie at CineArts.
  • Celebrate Mardi Gras at Roux Louisiana Kitchen on Fat Tuesday, March 8 from 7 p.m. to 12 a.m.  Bottle service is available.
  • The return of Santana Row Farmers’ Market, which opens for the season on April 3 with a day of events surrounding “Healthy Living Day.”
  • Annual Summer Fashion Shows on May 14 at 12 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Our next post in the Santana Row mini-series and will cover Santana Row real estate (such as condos/townhomes for sale).

Check back here for Part V

Click here for more information on Santana Row or homes in other areas of the Santa Clara Valley.

———

Home selling? Find out your home value & start the consulting process for getting your house ready to sell by clicking My Home Value in the top navigation.

Getting ready to buy a house? Use our Santa Clara County property search tool to create & save your search.

Need to find a contractor for a remodeling construction project? Get a contractor list of recommendations from The Listing Look (Silicon Valley realtor professionals) by clicking “Find a Contractor” in the top navigation.

Share this:
Share this page via Email Share this page via Stumble Upon Share this page via Digg this Share this page via Facebook Share this page via Twitter

Santana Row Part III: What’s New At The Row

Click here to read Part II.

Do you ever drive down Stevens Creek Boulevard and wonder what is going on at the new building 300 Santana Row?  We do, so we thought we’d include an update on what’s going on in this Santana Row mini-series.

Also, do you find yourself day dreaming about living at Santana Row (San Jose CA)?  Lucky for you, there are big changes coming to Santana Row, including new shops, restaurants and housing.

300 Santana Row will be full of office space, surrounded by panoramic glass windows surrounding the building.  At ground level of 300 Santana Row will be the much-anticipated restaurant, Yard House, a sports bar and restaurant with 130 beers on tap, which is set to open soon in April 2011.

Another addition to Santana Row is the new housing being built on the backside of the building.  Levare Living is set to open in late summer 2011 and will consist of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom rental townhomes.  There will be 108 new units in the building. (This is in addition, of course, to the other rentals and Santana Row condos/Santana Row real estate in general).

On top of the new office space, housing and restaurant, Santana Row has welcomed a variety of new stores, including a cosmetic and skincare store and a jewelry store.

Also in Santana Row but further down — 100% Pure, based out of Oakland, has opened its second location.  The store provides a variety of cosmetics and skincare products that are made from 100% pure ingredients, like fruit and vegetable pigments to add color to its cosmetics.

Another new store in Santana Row is San Francisco-based Jest Jewels.  The store’s first location opened 25 years ago and provides shoppers with a unique experience.  Many of the products sold in the store come from all over the world, including New York, London, Paris and India.  Shoppers can find jewelry, handbags, hats and scarves.

Next on Santana Row’s list of new additions?  Free People, a clothing store geared towards young adult women.

For more information about what’s new at Santana Row, visit the web site http://www.santanarow.com/concierge/whats_new/.

Click here to read Part IV.

Click here for more information on Santana Row or homes in other areas of the Santa Clara Valley.

———

Home selling? Find out your home value & start the consulting process for getting your house ready to sell by clicking My Home Value in the top navigation.

Getting ready to buy a house? Use our Santa Clara County property search tool to create & save your search.

Need to find a contractor for a remodeling construction project? Get a contractor list of recommendations from The Listing Look (Silicon Valley realtor professionals) by clicking “Find a Contractor” in the top navigation.

Share this:
Share this page via Email Share this page via Stumble Upon Share this page via Digg this Share this page via Facebook Share this page via Twitter

Santana Row Part I: Luxury Dining, Living and Shopping

Not only does the Listing Look love Silicon Valley, but The Listing Look adores Santana Row! It is one of the most noted spots in the area, and we decided to do a mini-series of blog posts. Hope you enjoy. Today’s is just the kickoff, but you can expect more information on how people like living at The Row, new updates on construction, upcoming events, and Santana Row real estate for sale.

Since Nov. 2002, San Jose has been gifted with the exciting pulse of the Santana Row community: luxury dining, living, and upscale shopping.  Located in the heart of San Jose, near Westfield’s Valley Fair shopping mall, Santana Row provides housing to hundreds of residents in the 514 privately owned condominiums, rental townhomes, and flats.

To make living at Santana Row a little more alluring, residents are surrounded with high-end shopping and five-star dining.  Shopping addictions can be appeased at stores like Gucci, Tommy Bahama, BCBGMAXARIA and many more.  When it comes to food, there is a restaurant to satisfy anyone’s appetite.  Blowfish Sushi To Die For, allows diners to experience one-of-a-kind rolls, with a variety of saketinis (sake martinis) to choose from.  For a unique and authentic pizza, diners may try Pizza Antica.  In a hurry?  Try Pluto’s and create your own unique salad or grab a quick bite at Wahoo’s Fish Tacos.

To top off a day of shopping and cuisine, many people step out for a taste of Santana Row’s glamorous nightlife.  Rosie McCann’s Irish Pub and Restaurant is a popular choice to mingle with friends while indulging in a drink (they also have dancing late at night).  On the weekends, Straits is a popular choice for those looking to eat, drink and dance (as is Blowfish).  For those looking for a more mellow and relaxing and environment, Cielo Wine Bar has two locations in Santana Row.

For those looking to get pampered, Santana Row offers almost a dozen spa and salon choices.  There is Lavande Nail Spa for those who desire a pedicure, and there is Bellarmine Salon for the men requiring a little grooming.

Whether you are looking to move to Santana Row, or just want to visit this unique attraction, there is something for everyone—one of The Look Team’s favorite things about Santana Row is that once you park, it’s easy to walk to everything in the Row. It also has a very European village-type feel, including a communal courtyard with a fountain outside of Starbucks, Kara’s Cupcakes, Maggiano’s and other businesses—great for meeting new people or reconnecting with those you already know. Many people work mobile from the courtyard and other Row hotspots (including us sometimes!).

And of course, in addition to all the rentals or condos/townhomes for sale at Santana Row, there are also many nearby neighborhoods with reasonably priced housing. Imagine being able to walk to Valley Fair and Santana Row!

Click here to read Part II

Click here for more information on Santana Row or homes in other areas of the Santa Clara Valley.

———

Home selling? Find out your home value & start the consulting process for getting your house ready to sell by clicking My Home Value in the top navigation.

Getting ready to buy a house? Use our Santa Clara County property search tool to create & save your search.

Need to find a contractor for a remodeling construction project? Get a contractor list of recommendations from The Listing Look (Silicon Valley realtor professionals) by clicking “Find a Contractor” in the top navigation.

Share this:
Share this page via Email Share this page via Stumble Upon Share this page via Digg this Share this page via Facebook Share this page via Twitter