The attractive thing about my new neighborhood is that it is moments away from one of the most expensive neighborhoods in San Jose, and yet isn’t so exclusive.
I live just outside the borders of the area known as “Rose Garden” — where the San Jose Municipal Rose Garden is located. My neighborhood is just as nice, but not nearly as pretentious and expensive. For example, my house in Rose Garden would probably sell for about $700,000. But on this side of the Alameda, the price drops significantly.
That extra couple of blocks distance doesn’t stop me from crossing over into their territory to shop. After hopping over to Valley Fair (aka the Mall of the Rich) this morning —
man, today was THE day for shopping. I figured it would be this last weekend, but the crowds at the mall were such that the police were directing traffic in and out of the lots and the freeway was backed up at the exit for the mall. All I needed was one little cable for my iPod. I would have been better off just driving over to Apple HQ and knocking at the door.
— I headed home on Bascom and stopped in at a little independent grocery store, whose name escapes me now. Anyway, it was the kind of market where the affluent shop, with high end gourmet food, sushi, deli… very nice. It was such a nice little neighborhood market, unlike the Safeway that I’ve been shopping at (located at Santa Clara University, so it’s the one where college students shop). Fresh ravioli for lunch and some zucchini bread for later. Yum!
