I came here last night with a friend cruising around in the car. It was fantastic to see many…read morehouses with Christmas lights! I loved the house with 97.8 FM audio with music matching the lights. This is my third year visiting this area and it never disappoints. I would come yearly as my schedule allows.

In this review I'll be comparing this Christmas Tree Lane (which can be found by simply putting in…read more'Woodland Drive, San Ramon' into Google Maps, and the Christmas Tree Lane in Alameda. While Alameda's Christmas Tree Lane is roughly a single densely packed block with a few blocks around it that sporadically participate, this location is an entire development with the homes more often then not having some type of display up. The streets are wider so it's easier to slowly drive along, and because it's bigger its less busy. Although this location lacks the frosty ice cream truck and the hot chocolate table Alameda's locale boasted, I personally found Woodland Drive to be a bit more enjoyable because it was less stressful to drive through. All in all, the honey and I enjoyed both but would be more likely to return to this Christmas Tree Lane, especially since it had my favorite display of the evening - a blue light river with ducks!

I visited this free holiday attraction on Friday, and even with the freezing winter temperatures, I…read moreenjoyed my time here. I arrived around opening time (6:00pm), and there was just a short line for entry. With so much to see and admire about this place, the walk thru was much longer than I expected, though that's partly cuz I didn't know you could pass people till I reached the mid-point. It's only one-way through the various pathways and illuminated tunnels that make up this experience, but if people stop and block foot traffic for long periods of time (for instance, families telling their toddler to look at every single doll and figurine in the windows and displays, or having them pose to take pictures like tourists), there's enough space to just pass them. Widmer World presents a range of themes and collections, including Disney (mickey mouse, toy story, disney princesses, etc), Minions, Snoopy, Santa, Abominable Snowman, geese, penguins, and stuffed animals galore. Cardboard cutouts with artwork, inflatables in various characters, moving props and decor, and animated xmas figures. Detailed miniature displays of various scenes including a charming village, a carnival with ferris wheels, roller coasters, and hot air balloons, and a festive model railroad with multiple trains moving along the tracks. It's so much more than a light show lined with impressive displays all around. It's a whimsical wonderland with lots of moving parts and interactive exhibits to delight guests of all ages. There's a scavenger hunt to find 12 gnomes, as well as a Mr. Potato Head coin toss game, and at the end of the walk thru, there's a guest book you can sign. In the front of the house, a giant chair is available for photo ops, along with more holiday lights and decorations. There are also signs directing visitors on where to find street parking (since you can't park in the court where this event is located).

Amazing Christmas displays fill the space with lights and detail. Every area feels thoughtful and…read morefestive. A giant chair invites fun photos for kids and adults. The setting feels warm, joyful, and memorable. A great experience for the whole family.

Our second Christmas stop was Candy Cane Lane. It's a dead end street in which cars slowly come in…read moreand drive to the circle and come back out. We chose to park outside and walk it to take in all the beautiful Christmas displays. What an amazing and relaxing time. I thank the neighborhood for all coming together and providing joy to all for Christmas.

This is my holiday tradition to view Candy Cane Lane; I usually drive but decided to walk since…read moreit's near my home. The neighbors go all out to make their lane festive and jolly. I saw one home that wasn't all decked out, but the homes that participated were festive and full of holiday spirit. It was a much better view, as I took my time walking and taking in the sights and sounds of Christmas. One home had a holiday movie projecting from their front porch, the house at the end of the lane had their usually holiday figure cut outs, not my favorite but I'm sure the kids loved. This town tradition may be small but it's full of cheer each year. The tradition has been going strong since "1955". Till next year...

We attended the Rosmarino Goes to France wine pairing dinner, our second time enjoying one of these…read moreevents. Sitting at a community table made for great conversation. It does get very noisy with so many people talking at once, but it is still a lot of fun. The wine expert made each pairing both fun and educational. The menu was well-thought-out, featuring a Grand Aïoli with shrimp, a warm goat cheese salad, French onion soup, Steak Frites, and Crème Brûlée, each paired with French wine. A few of the wines were of high quality, elevating the whole night. My favorite was the Steak Frites with its spot-on sauce au poivre. To top it off, the owner, Theresa, came out to greet our group personally. We will definitely be back for future events.

I really wanted to love this place, but there were just too many issues with our experience here to…read morejustify a trip back. The cocktails are good, but the prices do not match the experience or food quality. Some of the food was decent, but portions were inconsistent (like a tiny piece of short rib for $40). The two servers we had were very nice, however, the restaurant was not busy and our table and everyone around us had at least one issue or another. Major problems: *Not being told the specials until asking (and after ordering an appetizer). *Going to order Bolognese and being told "we are out of Bolognese." *Being delivered the 3 item dessert menu and then going to order 10 minutes later to be told "we are out of Tiramisu." *The pasta is not homemade or even fresh pasta I thought maybe I was expecting too much, but the gentlemen at the table behind us told them "I came here to eat Italian food, not to eat a pork chop, I don't understand why you don't have Bolognese." The other tables all seemed to have issues, whether it be with the service pacing or random things like the explanation of the special which was called "Frutti di Mare," but was a scallop or salmon dish on a pea puree (no pasta) and absolutely nothing close to what Frutti di Mare actually is. All in all, $300 (we brought our own wine) later, and while I wish this place luck, I'll be going elsewhere.

this Chess mural is hiding in plain sight on the ground between Dela Rosa & Mendicino Farms in City…read moreCenter. it's very near the seating next to the Vietnamese eatery. the mural depicts a realistic move by a human moving a queen chess piece.

This is a lovely 350 year old oak tree in the middle of Danville Road and serves as the landmark…read morefor the town of Danville. Each year, the town gathers around this tree for the annual holiday tree lighting, which is accompanied by a chorus of school kids singing holiday songs and Father Christmas visiting with children of all ages. This is the highlight of the season for the town-- and most likely for the old oak tree.

The Danville Oak Tree is so pretty and such a great part of Danville's history. I recently went to…read moremy first tree lighting, and I can't believe I'd never been! It's massive and beautiful, and you can walk on the street under it during the tree lighting. Lots of people post Birthday signs at the tree sight. If yours just visiting the area, definitely driven by. It's gorgeous!

I like what Water Light Public Plaza represents, even if it's poorly designed…read more Unfortunately, the three walls that make up the Plaza have no sound dampening. So if you have multiple people speaking or children being children, the sound carries to the point it's unpleasant. It couldn't be made into a park because the noise would be deafening. The Plaza has little to no greenery and only receives sunlight during certain points of the day and year, generally being a concrete shaded rather cold space with tables that go largely unused. It would liven up the area dramatically if they put in a small coffee shop that had games you could check out (like Salesforce Park), but my guess is they have to keep it a community space for tax purposes. In my opinion the seating at Growers Square and the Wells Fargo Fountain are far more successful. They're both more comfortable and have a mix of shaded and sunny areas. So all in all, while the idea of the Plaza (with it's beautiful tiled backdrop and fountain) is great, the actual usability of it day to day is fairly low.

This is a really cute public space in Walnut Creek, with a few plants along the border and several…read moretables available to enjoy snacks or drinks. Half of the seating area was covered by shade when we visited, which was a relief on a hot Sunday afternoon. The glass and ceramic mosaic mural along the wall, titled Water Light, is a beautiful reflective art piece by Jason Middlebrook, whose works connect art, history, and nature. The arcs of water flowing from the jets blend in with the artwork on the wall beautifully. The biggest surprise was the wooden grand piano at the corner of the plaza adorned with images of tiny trees and polka dots whose colors match the mural in the background (part of the Painted Piano Project). We got to play and listen to lovely melodies while relaxing in this simple yet delightful space.

Was in this area over the weekend and looking for a snack, did a quick Yelp search and this place…read morepopped up. The location is on a street of other industrial warehouses. However, if you enter 139th Ave. from E. 14th St., that part is residential. The entrance to the shop is up a small ramp next to the truck dock. Once inside, lots of beautiful displays. Many of the trinkets can be found at their retail store. Love that there's a little cafe in the back that offers sundaes, hot chocolates, milk shakes, and other similar treats. I opted to share a mini Dubai chocholate sundae. That sundae was pretty hearty and costly ($21 tax included). However, it was crunchy and flavorful. Ample parking, clean interior (including the restroom), and friendly staff, will visit again when in the area and looking for a sweet treat. #23/2026

So so so good!!! The…read moreDubai chocolate sundae is the best dessert I've had on a long time! I can't even think of something better on the spot. It's rich, savory, crispy, gooey, and they balance a not too sweet ice cream, along with good caramel and the pistachio is so full bodied It's a repeat winner for sure

Once a year you can find the European train enthusiast's model railroad display at Blackhawk. It…read moreruns from November 23 through January 5. 32 modules represent a variety of different locales throughout Europe, from a German castle, Italian coast and vineyards, German Oktoberfest, there are modules from Austria, Denmark, and Switzerland. All the modules are European inspired. The trains running on the track are those you'd see throughout Europe, both passenger and cargo. The engineers (train owners) are happy to answer your questions and tell you all about the layouts and trains. Admission is $5 and children under six are free. This year's admission fee goes to support the Crayon Initiative. European train enthusiast have other displays at different locations throughout the year. You can find out more about them on their website. http://www.ete.org/

This European model train exhibit is great for a family fun outing, especially if you have any…read moretrain enthusiasts in your family. The ETE model club members are all easily approachable to answer any questions and they have new trains on the track every hour or so, including Steam engines, Diesel Locomotives and Electric trains powered by overhead wire. We especially appreciate the stools they have out for the children so they can get an eye-level view of all the action on any given module. From pumpkin patches, to train stations, scenes from the Sound of Music to Rally races zooming through cityscapes, the attention to detail is amazing! And with the admission fee going to support the Crayon Initiative - recycling used crayons into brand new ones that are then distributed to children in hospitals and other facilities across the nation - it's a win/win family activity.

Very cool vibe on Downtown Main Street!!…read more This street is historic, and you can tell they push to keep it that way. It's walker and driver friendly. It seems to be a place, at least when I was there on a Saturday late afternoon, evening, for people to take out there classic cars and cruise the strip. And if you want to walk, there are plenty of places to eat with indoor and outdoor seating, all different types of small shops and stores, just a lively, popular area. Seems like the place to be in Pleasanton on the weekends!!

Downtown Pleasanton, basically, Main Street. 4-6 small blocks filled with restaurants and cute…read moreshops with a small town feel. Most all of the restaurants are built into the street, at least on weekends. According to the website, https://www.pleasantondowntown.net, from April 30, 2021 to September 6, 2021, Friday 5pm to Sunday 8pm. The dates will likely be extended due to the variant. Things to do: 3/5 Safety: 4/5 Cleanliness: 4/5 GEOGRAPHY/FACTS *: ==================== Pleasanton is a city in Alameda County, California, Adjacent to Hayward, Livermore, and Dublin. The city has a total area of 24.3 square miles. Located in the Amador Valley, it is a suburb in the East Bay region of the Bay Area. The population was 70,285 at the 2010 census. In 2005 and 2007, Pleasanton was ranked the wealthiest middle-sized city in the United States by the Census Bureau. Pleasanton was ranked number 4 in USA Today's list of "America's 50 best cities to live in" in 2014, number 63 in Money's list of "The Best Places to Live" in 2010, and was named one of "Americans' Top Hometown Spots" in the United States in 2009 by Forbes. Pleasanton was named the third wealthiest city in terms of earnings in the United States by NerdWallet in 2013 and 2016. * Source: Wiki TOP 5 EMPLOYERS **: ================== 1 Workday 5,017 2 Kaiser Permanente 3,730 3 Oracle Corporation 1,493 4 Stanford Healthcare - ValleyCare 1,020 5 Roche Molecular Diagnostics* 1,004 ** according to the city, as of June 2021