Super Bowl 50 in Santa Clara California and to stay at San Jose’s Fairmont Will Cost A Mere 150K

I enjoy football like millions of people around the world but to pay a 150K to stay at a hotel and get some perks is not something I would do. These perks you get in my opinion don’t justify paying a price of $50,000 a night with a three-night minimum Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the four-bedroom Presidential Luxury Suite. All you get is 8 tickets to the February 7th game, with seats in Section 300/Corner Loge these seats are not even close to the field. Oh Wow! You also get two chauffeured Cadillac Escalades for the full stay. One good thing you won’t have to drive in this Silicon Valley traffic or the crazy traffic conditions around Santa Clara's Levi's Stadium on game day. You’re going to need your complimentary private bar and your case of Dom Perignon. If you always wanted a butler you get private butler service, in-room catered breakfast and an "Apple dream gift package" worth $5,000 and you get to pick the products you want. Wow! On Saturday a day before Super Bowl 50 you get a wine country excursion to Sonoma Valley, where the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn is located. You can play golf at the Sonoma Golf Club or indulge in spa treatments at the inn. You'll be treated like a VIP at local wineries, and eight magnums of wine will be shipped home for you. For a stay at San Jose’s Fairmont Hotel for a mere 150K you get all this. Not to mention standing in the long lines at the game and fighting the crowds. No Thanks! I would rather stay home kick back in my living room and enjoy the best seat in the house. Someone going to pay this kind of money just for 3 days, I think if you have money like that to burn why not give it to Feed America Don’t be so selfish. Oh well "Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)".

LM

http://blogs.mercurynews.com/eat-drink-play/

https://secure.feedingamerica.org/site/Donation2?df_id=23470&23470.donation=form1&s_src=Y15YP1B1X&s_subsrc=c&s_keyword=feed%20america&gclid=Cj0KEQiAtMSzBRDs7fvDosLZmpoBEiQADzG1vFGfERvJIHv6zn_RAb9q-6FhTucKF7knGx4JysuhqOUaAiIM8P8HAQ

Easter Egg Hunts Around The Bay

It’s nothing like being a child when Easter comes around. You get a brand new outfit and shoes. There are Easter Egg Hunts and Easter candy everywhere. When I was a child I really enjoyed participating in the Easter Pageant that our church put on every year. After the Easter Pageant all
the children would go out and hunt for Easter eggs. Here are some of the Easter Egg Hunts around the Bay Area this weekend. There are twenty parks in the South Bay that are having Egg Hunt in South Bay by the Beautiful
Day Group (Apr 23, 1pm) cost is free. The locations are
Serra Park - Sunnyvale
Live Oak Park - Milpitas
Maywood Park - Santa Clara
John Morgan Park - Campbell
Latimer Elementary School - Campbell
Gardner Academy Elementary - Santa Clara
Booksin Elementary School - San Jose
Roosevelt Park - San Jose
RylandPark - San Jose
Schallenberger Elementary School - San Jose
Canoas Elementary School - San Jose
Lone Hill Park - San Jose
De Anza Park - San Jose
Jeffrey Fontana Park - San Jose
Bernal Road Baptist Church - San Jose
You also have the Easter Egg Hunt in Santa Clara (Apr 23, 10am) Where:central park, Santa Clara, The Hunt at Serra Park (Apr 23) Where: Serra Park, Sunnyvale, Easter Egg Hunt at St. Timothy's (Apr 23, 11am) Were: St.
Timothy's, 2094 Grant Rd, Mountain View, Annual Easter Egg and Pancake Breakfast (April 16, 9am) Where: San Bruno City Park, Egg Hunt in South San Francisco (April 16, 10am) Where: Orange Memorial Park on Orange ave,
Eggstravaganza – San Mateo (Apr 23, 9am - 1:30pm)Where: Central Park, San Mateo, Union Street Spring Celebration & Easter Parade (April 24, 10am - 5pm) Where: Union Street, Gough to Fillmore, SF.

Easter Sunday is the day for celebration and being with family and friends. If you have any special deliveries contact Streetwise Special Delivery Inc. Courier Service at 1-800-635-7531,we will deliver for you.
Happy Easter and be Safe.

LM

 http://www.kidmatter.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1152

http://www.streetwisesd.com/

THANK GOD FOR ISABELLA A 1988 300TE MERCEDES STATION WAGON

People are rushing around trying to get their last minute shopping done. Some people are so rude and in such a hurry, they drive like maniacs cutting people off and causing terrible accidents. This past Saturday December 18, 2010 my sister and I were driving down San Tomas Expressway Santa Clara Ca. heading toward El Camino. There is a accident in the two left lanes emergency vehicles are there. I say to my sister in-law “people need to slow down, their speeding like idiots going nowhere fast in traffic”. Well we continue down San Tomas to El Camino, we are in the left lane at the stop light the second car waiting for the light to change. We see this lady in a Jeep Cherokee  at the intersection run into Silver Mazda twice. Hitting it in the back and causing it to spin and hitting it in the front causing it to spin into a parking lot across the street hitting a van. Instead of the lady putting on here brakes she accelerated, through the intersection coming across the medium, hitting the car in front of us moving it like a bowling pin into the other lane causing that car to it another car. We thought that was it but the Cherokee keep coming and smashed into my sisters 1988 300TE Mercedes station wagon and totaling it. If it were not for Isabella that’s what she called her car she would not be here and I would not be here telling this story this. Cars now days are not as sturdy as cars 20 years ago. Thank God we were in Isabella.


Lynn

CHRISTMAS DISPLAYS ON FRONT LAWNS ACROSS AMERICA.

Image by mischiru via Flickr



When I was a child five days before Christmas my parents would gather up my brothers, sisters and I. Put us in the family station wagon, we would drive around San Jose looking at the houses with Christmas displays on the front lawns. This was our family tradition, I took my son, nieces and nephew on theses drive when they were little. I hope they keep the tradition going with their kids.


Here are some of the displays in San Jose 1. 1026 Houghton Court San Jose, Santa Clara County, 95112 2. 1370 Vallejo Dr San Jose, Santa Clara County, 95130 3. 1401 Glacier Dr San Jose, Santa Clara County, 95118 4. 1664 Pinkstone Ct San Jose, Santa Clara County, 95122 5. 1785 Patio Dr San Jose, Santa Clara County, 95125 6. 1851 Cherry Ave San Jose, Santa Clara County, 95125 7. 1925 E. Campbell Ave San Jose, Santa Clara County, 95125 8. 2056 Cirone Way San Jose, Santa Clara County, 95124 9. 2102 Peachtree Ln San Jose, Santa Clara County, 95128 10. 480 Richfield Dr San Jose, Santa Clara County, 95129


If your tried of the crowds at Christmases In The  Parks all over America start a new tradition. Take your kids on a drive in one of the neighborhoods I listed above, click on the link below and find one of your own. Merry Christmas and Drive Safe.


LM


http://www.lightsofthevalley.com/Properties/San_Jose.asp


http://www.lightsofthevalley.com/


http://www.christmasinthepark.com/main.html

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The RISKS of driving on a suspended license.

Image by davidciani via Flickr

More and more California motorists seem willing to take a big risk by continuing to drive a car or motor cycle on a revoked or suspended drivers license!  Aside from breaking the law, it's dumb, extremely expensive, and often more costly to the driver's family and friends!

California Vehicle Code 14601 prohibits driving when you know your drivers license has been suspended or revoked. While only a misdemeanor, this crime could land first-time offenders in jail for not less than 5 days, be fined not less than $300. 

Obviously the penaltlies multiply for further convictions, and are even steeper for DUI offenders...however, there's another major consequence.  Upon each arrest, the vehicle is immediatly impounded, towed, and stored for a minumum of 30 days, and what's worse...quite often the offender is driving someone elses car!

I'll share a true life example of this, and how an innocent car owner suddenly became a victim too! A friend of mine loaned the family's second car(a Suburu Legacy hatchback) to his 21-year old step-daughter to go pick up a friend. She'd done this before when her own car was out of commission  for one reason or another.

What he and his wife did not know was that his step-daughter had two outstanding warrents for un-paid traffic tickets, and had her drivers license suspended!  That afternoon she was pulled over by a California Highway Patrol officer for running a stop sign near the intersection of Bascom Avenue and San Carlos Street in San Jose, California.

She was taken to jail, and the Suburu was towed to a yard in Santa Clara, California, not far from the CHP headquarters on Zanker Road.

My friend was suddenly caught in a financial mess.  Even if he chose not to bail-out his step-daughter, how was he going to afford losing his car for 30 days....and paying tow and storage charges of close to $2000?

Also, this second car was used to transport he and his wife's handicapped granddaughter(and wheelchair) to doctors appointments, as well as other family needs!  It was more than just the money! It was the inconvenience!

However, as hard as my friend pleaded with the CHP, state law requires 30 days impound, unless, in certain instances...you can manage to get the offending drivers license re-instated, and show proof with DMV documentation.

Fortunatly, my friend took an extra step and decided to visit the CHP office with his step-daughter, to discuss any possible options with the CHP sergent in charge. This particular officer was very understanding, and agreed to release the car from impound....if his step daughter promised to take care of her tickets and get her license re-instated.

My friend was lucky!  He got his Suburu back that afternoon, however, he still had to pay the tow company $335, but that's a lot cheaper than $2000!

I have a feeling there are many more car owners and family members suffering a much worse fate than my friend and his step-daughter. Should you find yourself in a similiar mess you may try what my friend did, and get lucky.

However, the best advice is to be VERY CAREFUL who you loan your car to....if anyone at all!  As for you violators, GET REAL!  SMARTIN UP!  It's dumb enough to ignore paying your tickets.  Why be an even bigger idiot by letting them go to warrent...and having your drivers license suspended in the first place.

Thanks, and stay safe on the road!

Sincerely, PeteCam4

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The World's Biggest Haunted House

Image by dalvenjah via Flickr

The largest 'haunted house' in the world sits squarely in the heart of Santa Clara County.  The "Winchester Mystery House'" is located at 525 Winchester Blvd. in San Jose, California, right next door to 'Century 21 Theater'(1st of the Century theaters) and one block west of 'Santana Row' Shopping Center.

 

Having grown up just ten-blocks away, this California Historical Landmark has always been a local treat for me, whether just driving by or taking the tour over the years.  I used to get discounts, because three of my seven siblings worked there as tour guides!

 

Rumor has it the place is haunted...and, IT IS! (in my opinion) Why else would they call it a "mystery house"!  To understand why its 160 rooms stretch seven stories high, have 47 fireplaces, and took over 38-years to build--you have to take a peek into American history!  

 

Sarah Pardee and William Wirt Winchester were married in New Haven, Connecticut during the Civil War in 1862..  Prior to that, William invented the famous Winchester repeating rifle, and amassed a fortune.

The couple's only daughter Annie, died shortly after birth, thus tearing them apart emotionally. In 1881, William died of tuberculosis, leaving Sarah with a second heart-ache...and a 20-million dollar inheritance!

 

Upon consulting a psycic, Sarah was convinced her family was cursed by all the deaths incurred by the rifles, and decided to move toward the western sunset. Arriving in the Santa Clara Valley in 1884, she bought a six-room house on 162-acres--for which it was foretold she needed to build upon constantly...or else...die!

 

She did just that...BUILD, in radical fashion!  Sarah eventually employed 22 carpenters working  24 hours a day, often 7-days a week.  Along with three elevators, there were numerous stairways built, some of which led to dead end walls....along with upside down stair posts, trap doors, un-explained passages, bathroom doors made of glass, closets that emptied into open air and a fall to the garden, countless chimneys, and only two mirrors existing in the entire mansion.  Sarah believed that ghosts feared their own reflections, and they also liked to appear and re-appear in her many chimmneys.

 

What was weird to most, made control-freak type sense to Sarah, who constantly wanted to maintain a strangle-hold on ghosts, spirits and other evil intruders who continually haunted her fortune--which, again, came from making that deadly rifle!

 

Sarah was also obsessed with the number 13, having most windows built with 13 panes of glass, 13 panels on each wall, and parkay floors with squares 13 feet wide and 13 feet long.  Meanwhile, the constant hammering and delivering of new materials to the mansion finally eased up in 1906.

 

That's when the infamous San Francisco earthquake rocked and damaged the mystery house as well, partially trapping Sarah in one of the rooms. As imagined, she started building again, and didn't stop for 16 more years! The construction finally came to an end with Sarah Winchester's death in 1922, and the estate was inherited by a niece, Francis Marriott--who soon realized Sarah's fortune had dwindled to nearly nothing.

 

It was rumored there was a hidden safe filled with a fortune in gold and priceless jewels, however the safe's that were eventually discovered contained nothing but fish lines, old socks and newspaper clippings.

 

In 38 years Sarah spent 5.5-million dollars building the Winchester Mystery House. That converts to about 75-million in today's dollars!

 

It became a California Historical Landmark in 1930, as Robert L. Ripley was one of the first to showcase it as a popular tourist attraction in his daily column, "Ripley's Believe it or Not!"  Today it remains just that, a tourist attraction!

 

Over the years there have been thousands of stories about voices moaning, walls knocking, cold spots in certain rooms, floors shaking and mysterious whistles and howls nearing closing time when the tours end. 

 

My younger brother Rob once told me one of the employees was accidently locked in the compound over night, and when morning came...he was found white-faced, trembling and incoherant following a night of haunting fear and emotional trauma.

 

Can you believe that?  I can, in my own, fun kind of way...especially around Halloween! Come on!  Where's YOUR spirit???

 

Should you find the desire to find out for yourself, both mansion and estate tours run daily from 9am to 7pm.(unless it's really dark by then) It costs more than when I was a kid though.(sorry) $33.00 for adults and $30.00 for children and seniors. It may seem frightenly expensive, but it's well worth visiting...at least once in your lifetime!

 

Thanks,  and keep the light on!

 

Sincerely scared, PeteCam4

  

 

 

 

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How to avoid a 2nd accident!

Image via Wikipedia

It is often more dangerous the first moments after a traffic accident, than during the initial collision.  I witnessed a close call Thursday afternoon in Santa Clara, California that reminded me of this.

 

I was coming out of the lobby of a company I deliver to daily at the intersection of De La Cruz Blvd. and Martin Avenue which runs just west of The San Jose Airport. A two car accident had just happened at that intersecting stop light. I know because I was only in the office five-minutes, and was just returning to my car.

 

 Two badly damaged vehicles were facing south, side by side on the right portion of the intersection and light.  Both drivers had been escorted by witnesses to the south lawn of a strip mall across the street, and while dazed and shaken...neither looked seriously injured.  

 

However, I did notice heavy traffic sifting through the intersection at a bumper to bumper pace, passing very close on both sides of the vehicles. It looked like another accident waiting to happen, and almost did! 

 

As the sirens began sounding in the distance, one of the drivers got up from the lawn and began to stagger crookedly toward her car, probably to retrieve something...and came dangerously close to getting struck down by passing motorists.

 

Luckily, a transportation officer grabbed her just as she was about to stumble and fall.  This could have been a disaster that's happened many times before!  All it takes is a victim wandering recklessly without realizing they're in shock and/or suffering from a concussion.  Add to that rubber-necking drivers who often smash into one another as well as roadside pedestrians.

 

Years ago I was a passenger during a t-bone collision in East San Jose that left me pretty beat-up and bruised.  We were all very lucky, however, I do remember waking up sitting on the curb after blacking out!  I also had a caring bystander standing by to catch me after I began to stumble around in the intersection...with a concussion.

 

Here are a few ways to avoid a potential second or third accident at the same scene.  If you're there to actually help out, carefully secure yourself and any victims far away from traffic or other danger....while consoling and comforting them until help arrives. 

 

When driving past an accident, be cautious, courtious  and aware of obstacles, pedestrians, the car in front of you, and any traffic instructions.  Help out by being careful....and don't rubber-neck!  That way we'll always keep it down to just ONE accident, which is bad enough as it is.

 

Thanks, take care and drive safely,

 

PeteCam4

  

 

 

SANTA CLARA CA. IS A CITY THAT LIKES TO PLAY

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

SANTA CLARA CA. IS A CITY THAT LIKES TO PLAY
The City Of Santa Clara has a wide variety of activities for all ages.Santa Clara caters to seniors. Santa Clara has a senior center for 50 years and older, with a variety of classes and activities. Santa Clara has an adult softball league for the softball enthusiast that runs in two
seasons spring/summer and fall. For the basketball novice to the skilled
player, there is a league for you. It also runs in two seasons fall/winter and spring. Santa Clara has a Teen Center that is open to 8th through 12th graders who live in Santa Clara or has family in Santa Clara. Santa Clara
also has a great skate park. Santa Clara also offers a Junior Theater, for all you actors out there. For all the youth out there Santa Clara has something for you to. Santa Clara has a youth center, with after school programs, recreation classes, sport camps and special events. Santa Clara has beautiful Central Park, Community Recreation Center and a lot of other
centers and activities.


http://santaclaraca.gov/park_recreation/pr_seniors.html
http://santaclaraca.gov/park_recreation/pr_adult_league.html
http://santaclaraca.gov/park_recreation/pr_teens.html
http://santaclaraca.gov/park_recreation/pr_skate_park.html
http://santaclaraca.gov/park_recreation/pr-junior-theatre.html
http://santaclaraca.gov/park_recreation/pr_yac.html
http://santaclaraca.gov/park_recreation/pr_facilities.html

Santa Clara to Vancouver Part 2

After a restful night at the Vancouver Washington Homewood Suites I drove along the river front and took a walk over the Land Bridge to Fort Vancouver. The land bridge had all kinds of plants and descriptions on how they aided the Native Americans and the settlers. It was quite interesting. The area around the fort is being excavated for historical artifacts. The Fort buildings are a reconstruction on the site of the original Fort. It is a National Park that I recommend to anybody traveling in the area.

Santa Clara Ca. to Vancouver Washington in 12 Hours

It took 12 hours of serious driving to get a part from Santa Clara to Vancouver Washington. The company needed this part or it was not going to make its production deadline. I started out at 8:00pm. Loaded up the van in Santa Clara and started driving over to I5. Music blasting from my I pod connected to my sound system I traveled non stop to Redding Ca.It was dark and little traffic on I5. It was raining when I got into Oregon around 3am. And arrived tired but excited in the fog in Portland. I crossed the last bridge into Vancouver Washington around 8:30am. Made it to the delivery at 9am. The guys at receiving were elated at my fast delivery. They recommended that I sleep at the Homewood Suites a few blocks away.