i've always thought that Santana Row was an odd public space. Nestled between Santa Clara and San Jose, and across the street from the megalithic Valley Fair Mall, at the intersection between the 880, the 280 and the 17, getting into Santana Row has always created a logistical nightmare. Santana Row is a Rodeo Drive for the Nor Cal crowd, a cluster of high-end retail and restaurants for well-to-do South Bayers who don't want to drive into San Francisco. However, as a public space, Santana Row provides something that is missing from the San Jose landscape -- a place that serves as a central meeting point for people. It's possible to play a game of chess while listening to a local band play live music, and sip a cappucino purchased from a nearby cafe. I went there today to do some Christmas shopping (thereby breaking my online-only shopping pledge). It still has that air of poshness to it, aided by the number of quarter-million dollar cars cruising the boulevard, but with The Container Store and Best Buy right next door, Santana Row's retail shops seem overdressed for the party. (I saw more Best Buy bags than any other bag on Santana Row).
Flickr: Santana Row (Photos are from a photoshoot I did in August)
santana row...i was about to drop by there because there isn't a "joseph schmidt's" down here. "p i liked walking around with honeyfields that one time. it seemed like an OC mall, or like the grove in LA. btw, did you know that "mai do" is affiliated/owned by "kunikuniya," the large japanese bookstore?
never heard of draegers. well, san jose has other things that are worth traveling there for. ")
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Joseph Schmidt's chocolates can be found in a variety of places, including high end grocery stores such as Draegers. One does not need to come all the way to San Jose for that.