What San Jose is Really Like... (Gilroy, Saratoga: shopping mall, food, Walmart)

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by Billy Millennium

San Jose has among the most restaurants? I find that hard to believe. Unless there's a ton of restaurants on the Eastside or Southside that I dunno about as I don't go there.

Dude, you really do need to get out more.

[JohnSoCal]

Originally Posted by Billy Millennium

Dallas and Houston are considered the restaurants mecca's I believe.

You have to be kidding.

[Billy Millennium]

Originally Posted by bigdumbgod

Dude, you're going to tell the world San Jose doesn't have enough restaurants, and in the next breath, you admit to excluding over half of the town because you don't go there? A bit specious, no?

Oh, and I manage a community-based day program with a lot of staff and participants, five days a week. Know what program?
East San Jose Integrated Employment. So, yes, we do go there, without fear or indignation towards the area's residents. We can tell you that a place with 350,000 Hispanic people has more than it's fair share of food offerings from Central and South American locales, not to mention a concentration of about 30,000 Vietnamese and the fare they bring. That's just the tip of the diversity iceberg in ESJ. Might want to bravely venture out of whitey-whiteville and discover what else the town offers.

If I lived closer to Story/King I may very well have popped over there and explored some of the food places. But just like downtown, nothing I've heard warrants an adventure unless I needed to be in the area. Eastside is well known as the less desirable part of town, so I'd say you are the exception if you spend a bit of time there but not living there. Like any other big city, people stay in their own world for various reasons. One being, things aren't exactly close. If I don't live close to any area, I'm not going to be getting in my car and driving just to say I ate good mexican food for anything more then a special occasion.

I made, and fully stand by my point that San Jose is under-served regarding amenities. Now, for an example of a south bay city that is well-served: drumroll please....

Gilroy. Population about 50k. Got a huge outlet mall (better place to shop then anywhere in SJ imo), target, Walmart (SuperCenter perhaps), Costco (heard this one is real nice, not always packed like Almaden) and other big box stores I can't name off the top of my head. Best buy I think and a huge sporting goods store. Also, many places to eat and it's own In-N-Out burger.

Gilroy is doing things right in this regard. Nice and new shopping center too. It makes the city more attractive and a more appealing place to live imo.

Originally Posted by mysticaltyger

Dude, you really do need to get out more.

Got out plenty. When there's no reason to visit, there's no reason to visit. If you guys traveled all around San Jose regularly then that's great, most people irl don't. That's how things work in huge cities.

Originally Posted by JohnSoCal

You have to be kidding.

Number of restaurants. I believe I heard something saying they have among the most, particularly Houston. Could be wrong. Quality wise, doubt anything can top NYC.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by JohnSoCal

I didn't want to say it but I agree with you 100%. I am not gay but I am also conservative/libertarian. Very conservative fiscally and pretty libertarian socially. I get along pretty well everywhere as generally politics is not a consideration in choosing a place to live but I don't like the "get in your face" types whether they are left or right wing.

I'm glad we agree .

I do find the hypocrisy of so-called liberal folks pretty galling, though. They're the ones who are supposed to be the champions of tolerance for all, but some (not all, mind you) are the first to demonize those who don't agree with them. But I also used to go to a conservative church before I totally gave up on organized religion, and that drove me nuts, too!

[JohnSoCal]

It amuses me how some are complaining about too many high tech workers.

Well I hate to inform you but metro San Jose ( aka Silicon Valley ) is the high tech capital of the world. If that bothers you then you should live somewhere else. It is also rather amusing how many of you stereotype the high tech people. They are as diverse as any other group of professional employees. As I have said many times, I have lived in many different cities in the US and other countries. San Jose is more diverse than most and great place to live if one gets past their petty complaints. The only real downside is the high cost of living if you aren't making a high salary like most of the high tech workers.

I am also sure that it is not a utopia for single people that like to party and hang out in bars and night clubs. Those are pretty easy to spot because they like to use the word "dude" a lot. For the rest of us that like to live in a safe family oriented city with good restaurants, good weather, good job opportunities and access to a lot of recreational choices within easy driving distance, San Jose isn't such a bad place.

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by Billy Millennium

Gilroy. Population about 50k. Got a huge outlet mall (better place to shop then anywhere in SJ imo), target, Walmart (SuperCenter perhaps), Costco (heard this one is real nice, not always packed like Almaden) and other big box stores I can't name off the top of my head. Best buy I think and a huge sporting goods store. Also, many places to eat and it's own In-N-Out burger.

Gilroy is doing things right in this regard. Nice and new shopping center too. It makes the city more attractive and a more appealing place to live imo.

You already declared a city's worth is inextricably linked to it's ability to attract tourists.

Um.......Gilroy?

And what is this lovefest for giant brick-and-mortar shops? Haven't heard that things called computers were invented in Silicon Valley, and then the internet, with the requisite rise of online shopping being a central component of SV's innovation concentration? So maybe that little aspect reflects SJ's somewhat less than extreme lust for all things big-box.

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by JohnSoCal

I am also sure that it is not a utopia for single people that like to party and hang out in bars and night clubs. Those are pretty easy to spot because they like to use the word "dude" a lot.

Oh, I don't know about that...dude. There's plenty of partying in San Jose. Trust me on this.

[JohnSoCal]

Originally Posted by bigdumbgod

You already declared a city's worth is inextricably linked to it's ability to attract tourists.

Um.......Gilroy?

And what is this lovefest for giant brick-and-mortar shops? Haven't heard that things called computers were invented in Silicon Valley, and then the internet, with the requisite rise of online shopping being a central component of SV's innovation concentration? So maybe that little aspect reflects SJ's somewhat less than extreme lust for all things big-box.

To live in Gilroy, you need to like the smell of garlic.

[JohnSoCal]

Originally Posted by bigdumbgod

Oh, I don't know about that...dude. There's plenty of partying in San Jose. Trust me on this.

I mentioned it only because some complain about the lack of nightlife. Actually, when we lived in San Jose in the 70's, my wife and I went out every weekend to many of the Mexican nightclubs for dancing. I noticed that many don't exist any more but weren't really looking because our nightclubbing days, or should I say nights, are long over.

[Billy Millennium]

Originally Posted by bigdumbgod

You already declared a city's worth is inextricably linked to it's ability to attract tourists.

Um.......Gilroy?

And what is this lovefest for giant brick-and-mortar shops? Haven't heard that things called computers were invented in Silicon Valley, and then the internet, with the requisite rise of online shopping being a central component of SV's innovation concentration? So maybe that little aspect reflects SJ's somewhat less than extreme lust for all things big-box.

Gilroy had nothing to do with tourism haha. It was an example of a city that is well-served with amenities. San Jose (imo) is under-served AND has a negligible amount of tourists. So it fails on both fronts where at least Gilroy has the amenity thing going for it given it's size. Don't know if SJ can ever get tourists but it can definitely get more amenities which would be a net gain for the city and its residents I think.

Yeah online shopping is big but last I checked people are still love malls and the retail business isn't going anywhere. Something about buying clothes online just doesn't do it for people. And food shopping, people are still flooding into Costco and Walmart. Can't get much of this shipped to you.

Brick and mortar stores aren't going anywhere. Visit a target or walmart and you know.

Originally Posted by bigdumbgod

Oh, I don't know about that...dude. There's plenty of partying in San Jose. Trust me on this.

On a very small scale. Downtown campbell/LG on a friday night, bought as good as it gets and the bars usually aren't crowded. No line, walk straight up to the bar. Real big cities with good nightlife have some places that *gasp* have lines and are more crowded.