Los Altos Real Estate Blog

There are lots of well known displays of lights throughout the Bay Area and Silicon Valley.  One of the best known is the Fantasy of Lights held in Vasona Park in Los Gatos.  This 1.5 mile drive through the park showcases an seemingly endless array of light displays and holiday displays.  It's really simple, just pack your family, friends, whoever into your car and drive through the park to see the displays. The lines are long and you will drive slowly so don't think it'll just be a quick trip.  So, that makes it a great opportunity to get out of the house and see something festive and fun.  The tour can easily take an hour or more so plan ahead!

• Time:  6:00-10:00PM
• Dates:  Everyday through Dec 31st
• Address:  333 Blossom Hill Road, Los Gatos, CA
• Tickets: $15 per vehicle (up to 9 passengers) - $25 per vehicle (10-25 passengers)

Want to avoid the lines and waiting?  Try the Reindeer Express!  This Saturday and Sunday only you can sign up to view the displays and sounds from the comfort of a luxury bus.  The cost is $8 per person and buses leave at 6PM and 8PM.  For me, this is the best way to go because you can just hop on the bus and go on the tour without waiting.  Space is limited though so get your tickets early.  Advance registration is required so don't just drop in.

I just had the pleasure of having dinner here a few nights back with a friend from work and her husband.  My wife joined me and we arrived at 6:15 for a reservation we made through OpenTable.  The restaurant was not full at such an early hour (especially on a Wednesday night) and the hostess was very kind in greeting us.  Our friends had already arrived and we were promptly shown to our table.  Within a few moments, our water appeared with a friendly greeting and a polite request for drink orders.  My wife asked for a recommendation based on her preference for a particular style of white wine and the waiter easily chose an excellent wine.

The dinner order went just as smoothly and the food was delivered in a reasonable timeframe.  I've been to a lot of 5-star restaurants and the measure of good service has always been that it "just happens".  You don't need to ask to get your water filled, it just gets done.  That's what this place is like.  Everything is well timed and taken care of.  We got to enjoy pleasant dinner conversation while our drinks and dinner arrived at just the right time.

The food quality was excellent.  Three of us had the rib-eye steak and one had the proscuitto sandwich.  Everything was prepared to perfection and the flavors were fresh and distinct.  This is one of those great restaurants where the meals are prepared with fresh ingredients that are blended into amazing gourmet dishes without being overbearing.

While the meal was bit pricey, it's because we ordered the most expensive meals on the menu and the most expensive wine.  If you want to get in and out for under $50 for two people, no problem, just stop by at happy hour.  Drinks at $5 and the "small plates" are very nicely proportioned such that 3 of them is enough for two people.

Overall, I highly recommend Restaurant James Randall and look forward to going there again.