Gamble Garden is a lovely and quiet respite in Palo Alto. Whenever I'm in the area and have some…read moretime, I stop by for a stroll around the garden to see what's in bloom. There are benches to sit and gather. I've seen a wedding in their outdoor area and I believe you can rent the house for events. They have classes and you can volunteer in the garden too. At one time, it was also a location for photo shoots. One of my lifestyle photos was shot here. A space of beauty and peace. I appreciate that it's free for anyone.

Great Family Event... Except Someone Forgot Their Customer-Service Hat…read more We had a really good time at Gamble Garden's Second Saturday! The kids enjoyed the scavenger hunt, there were some great vendors, and the whole event had a fun, family-friendly atmosphere. I also got some pretty good footage of the scavenger hunt and everything that was going on, so there was definitely plenty to enjoy. Whoever is behind organizing the Second Saturdays deserves some credit because they're doing a great job. There was a nice variety of activities, the kids stayed entertained, and it felt like a genuine community event. Now... the reason I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5 comes down to one particular interaction. There was an older gentleman named Matthew who was helping out and wearing a vest. Let's just say Matthew and my wife and I did not exactly become best friends that afternoon. Some of the comments he made toward us came across as unnecessarily rude and, even if they were intended to be jokes, the humor definitely missed the landing. I'm all for a little sarcasm and having fun -- trust me, I can take a joke -- but there's a difference between being funny and making people wonder, "Wait... was that really necessary?" Thankfully, the event was for our kids, not for us, so we didn't let one interaction ruin the day. The kids had fun, the vendors were great, and everything else about the experience was positive. I'd definitely recommend checking out Second Saturday if you have kids or just want to support a cool community event. Hopefully, next time Matthew leaves the comedy routine at home and sticks to the helping. Overall: Great event, great activities, great vendors, and a lot of potential for an even better experience. Just one sour interaction kept it from getting that fifth star.

The Stanford barn is one of the oldest structures on the Stanford University Campus…read more The Barn which was built in 1888 as a winery. Vast amount of grapes were planted on the farm, and according to the standards of the time produced a fine quality wine under the Palo Alto label. Leland Stanford was a big believer in the benefits of wine consumption. The building was built to last, and while the 1906 San Francisco earthquake damaged many building on campus, the Barn was untouched despite all the additional weight the wine imposed on the structure. With the inaction of Prohibition, the winery ceased operations and the surrounding land was used for conventional farming and cattle grazing.The barn was alternatively used by the carnation milk company and was also leased for the purposes of breeding purebred Troutmere. The barn continued to be used as a dairy for many years but gradually fell into disuse. With the encroachment of urban areas and the Stanford Shopping Center, it was considered for razing at one point. However, the Barn was someone restored and converted into sort of a mixed retail/restaurant/ office space. Present day there are several restaurants, and other small shops. The entire second levels are office space used by the medical school. It does have its own parking but its patrolled by private security who have that 'Mall cop" complex and can be quite aggressive even if you have business at the barn. There are no tours of the interior, but the you can walk around the extensive brick structure, and you can walk through the main part of it. There there few historical displays showing its history and allows easy access to the various shops and restaurants. Its not a destination in and of itself, but would be a fatntatic pairing with say the Cantor, or the Arizona cactus garden etc.

It's a winding, hilly, and somewhat dark drive up to the most breathtaking event venue I have seen…read morein the Bay Area. Plenty of shade and cute benches. I definitely want to have my next event here. It's quiet and full of trees and romantic. It is perfect for work events, weddings, parties, and more. Book your next event here, I promise you that you won't regret it.

After driving up a long and winding road up to the top of Skyline in Woodside you arrive at a…read morebeautiful event venue called Mountain Terrace. We attended a wedding of about 120 people. There is a huge grassy area where the ceremony was held but it would accommodate several hundred if the parking doesn't run out. The opening in the Redwoods overlooks the South Bay. A large tent was set up on the Terrace where the banquet was held. The event staff was fast and efficient in moving all the chairs from the ceremony to the banquet tables. Not sure if the food was catered or was made from the event kitchen. There is also a separate house across the lane that can be rented and utilized for the wedding party. The food with at was served consisted of Appetizers Crab cakes Mushrooms Vietnamese spring rolls Ceviche Spring mix with a warm egg Salmon with broccoli and potatoes Tri Tip with broccoli and potatoes Dessert S'mores Cannolis There is limited parking so the wedding provided shuttle buses from the bottom of the mountain.

Such a beautiful spot... great venue with wonderful staff…read more The food was amazing we had a celebration of life there and couldn't be happier with the service

This is a nice place to come and walk around for about 15 minutes. I love gardens and they had a…read morewalkway adorned with roses and roses in a courtyard with a fountain. There is a restaurant but it's kinda pricey. I think this place is more for special events but they have a couple of artist stores there. I even saw a cat roaming around, maybe he lives there. For a garden I wouldn't come out of my way for it but it's worth stopping by if going to the nearby Stanford shopping center

It's difficult to review a community theater, rather than an individual performance but I will give…read moreit a shot... In background, I've probably seen a dozen shows here over the last 8 years. They've ranged from classics to experimental and from dramas to musicals. While the shows obviously vary in quality, I've always enjoyed them and been impressed by the acting. Compared to other community theater I've been to, this is a notch above. The building itself has an intimate and historical feel. It was built in 1934 in a Mediterranean style. The seating is a bit worn and may be cramped if you're a larger person but the acoustics are great and the sight lines are good from everywhere. There's not a bad seat in the house. There are snacks and drinks for intermission and, as has become increasingly common, you can pre-order. The bathrooms are in the building next door but it's a very short walk. All in all, a charming little theater with good plays.

Palo Alto, Ca. Cute…read morecenter to celebrate life milestones and bdays. Location: D Near Stanford in a conjested residential. Roads/Parking: F None. Park near the houses and walk. Cost: Unknown. Dont know how much it cost to rent. Overall: A The garden is pretty. Nice huge tree in the front. Segregating groups can be challenging as venue space is small. Safe traveling. Shameless IG plug @cigarcpa

I've eaten here multiple times and each time was a unique experience. It is a quite different to…read moreother private restaurants since this is within Stanford University. Today's visit, I was accompanied by a few coworkers and had enjoyed their company during my meal. I've ordered the Stanford Mule (no alcohol) for my drink and Roasted Salmon Filet but had requested to have it grilled cooked, I wanted some grilling smell and taste to it. When cutting into the salmon filet, its texture was well kept outside and the inside was perfect, juices were still there and flavor is strong. No signs of burning the filet and the inside wasn't dry at all. I didn't need to drink my mule but, I wanted to savior the salmon longer before any sipping of my mule. One good note is that the food didn't take too long to be prepared, probably at most 15 minutes, hard to tell since I was in an interesting conversation with my coworkers. Great lighting while sitting outside. Was sorta warm during a heat wave but we needed some sunlight and outdoorsy vibes. I'd come back here anytime when I have the time with coworkers, could be pricey but the quality is there.

Went here with a family friend, who is the wife of a faculty member…read more FOOD: Ordered a salad with tofu and a side of fries. I remember the salad was quite big! SERVICE: We weren't sure to call a waiter over to pay, but eventually, we figured it out. PARKING: I parked in the Tresidder lot, so you might have to pay (metered) All in all, not that great, not that bad, don't mind going back!

I love this place for both the ambience and the assorted snacks…read more Does anyone know when the village hub is going to reopen or if it is going to be closed for summer?

One of the prettiest locations in town. The outdoor patio is great!! However I had not been in a…read morewhile and saw that they hired all new staff and apparently a new bakery...? My cappuccino was very subpar and disappointing, it used to be my favorite in the area. The almond croissant I got also tasted different and STALE Not to mention, prices also increased. I hope they can get increase the quality of their products as it used to be a real gem, now it has a very generic taste.

I had my bridal shower here. The staff was so nice and accommodating. Blank canvas to make your…read moreparty your own. This space was perfect for my event. Thanks again to all the staff!

We hosted a birthday party for my daughter and it was a great venue and smooth process.read more

Rengstorff House was a wonderful venue for our wedding! The house and gardens were so beautiful…read morethat very little additional decoration was needed. We especially loved that there are multiple outdoor spaces to utilize for different portions of the event. The venue staff were very friendly, responsive and helpful to work with as we planned the event.

Rengstorff House is located on the premises of the Shoreline Parklands. This is a historic…read moreVictorian house / mansion and it is Mountain View's oldest home. There is a shared parking lot. My bf wanted to do docent-led tour, but unfortunately we showed up shortly after they closed on that Saturday afternoon (they closed at noon). We walked along the outer perimeter of the estate - hoping to get some photos, but there were some people taking photos at the front of the house, so we ended up leaving. Overall 3 stars, but rounded up to 4 stars because we did not get the full experience for a fair review.