I left my heart in Santana Row...

Street cafes, restaurants, specialty shops, a sidewalk drawing competition under perfect weather are some of the things that Santana Row in San Jose, California welcomed us with. A new city has been built within a city and although it reminded me a lot like Serendra in Fort Bonifacio, I somehow felt more comfortable in Santana Row because basically, over here, the people are a lot more friendly than snobby Manileneos.



We had lunch in Sino's, a Chinese dimsum bar/restaurant. I found it funny that I travelled all the way here only to eat Dimsum and Siopao. It was good though and service was fast and efficient. Of course, nothing beats Summer Palace in EDSA Shangri-la. After lunch, a stroll around the place made it seem like I was in the French Riviera minus the beach or a street in Italy.


Even the sidewalk was decorated with magnificent drawings. Each artist was represented by a store in the area and you may vote what you think is the best drawing by visiting that particular store. The artists were on their hands and feet the whole afternoon making sure that their work was at its best only to be washed away the very next day.

I was told that the Mexican restaurant, Consuelo, should not be missed. If I still have time, I will make sure I have my fill of burritos and enchiladas. YUM. Santana Row also boasts of 7 brand new cinemas, soon to open H&M, Mango, Borders, Kenneth Cole, a very quaint hotel and a lot more upscale shops for the A-B market it caters to.



Like Serendra, there are also units here for sale. But the condominium is a building that stands separately from the stores so the noise and activities from the restaurants and bars do not affect the quiet and peaceful surroundings a home should have. A loft in this area costs about $1M but according to my aunt, her investment has already gone up since the time she bought her unit 2 years ago.

Of course, leaving Santana Row was not so easy, especially since I was with great company including another tourist from Europe (yeah, you know who you are). If you should be in the area of Northern California, make sure you stop by Santana Row. It is a good 1 hour drive from SF but very much worth the trip.