Unity is six interlocking steel rings created by abstract expressionist sculptor Bruce Beasley…read more commissioned by the city of Fremont at a cost of $206,000, Unity is 22 feet tall, 33 feet by 33 feet, weighs 3700 pounds. the view from all angles is similar. while it can mean anything that is interconnected thru common bonds, Beasley states Unity represents the synergy of Fremont, it's residents, the elected government, the city staff, the businesses & the physical environment. Bruce Beasley creates art works displayed all over the world.

This museum, run by members and volunteers, showcases a small collection of materials from various…read morebus companies as well as actual buses guests can explore on site, some inside the garage and some parked outside on display. I checked out a few of them, and the staff was nice enough to unlock buses by request since I was the only visitor there and only a couple of them had their doors open initially. He also shared the history of some of the vehicles, such as the Pacific Greyhound Lines #1945 which was originally a General Motors coach (Missouri Pacific Stages #821), used in films (just like several others on site) converted into a motorhome, and restored before being donated to the Pacific Bus Museum. There was plenty of interesting details to learn about each, and I enjoyed viewing the posters and ads inside the buses too. There's a $5 donation fee for adults, and free admission for kids. I purchased a pull back toy bus from the gift shop for my nephew before leaving. They sell pricier model buses too (around the $75 range), as well as printed shirts. I'm not a fan of the limited and unpredictable hours of operation, but altogether I had a positive experience at this unique museum.

Never knew this place existed. Very cool collection of vintage buses and most if not all of them…read moreare in full working condition.

We went this morning to see if anything new looked good. It seems like it's much smaller this year…read more The good was there's much more food trucks and vendors. Also a very large police presence. Not sure why,but better than no presence at all. Plenty of available parking today. The bad news, no new vendors.

IMHO This year a new…read moreorganizer decided to change up the street configuration of the festival, which threw a lot of people off when we all parked in our usual spots and headed to Walnut Ave. to begin our day, only to discover that they had a lot more walking to do before hitting the festival! Oy! This senior citizen got her exercise in today! I had two things on my list to purchase; a new garden wind spinner and some Kibler Elf coffee cakes. We passed by some food vendors first to check out the prices. I don't know if this is a new thing, but I found many food vendors didn't have their food prices in full view. That doesn't work for me. If you don't advertise your pricing, I am going to walk past your booth. As expected, food prices continue to go up at these festivals. My hubby got two BBQ hot link sandwiches for $18. I chose an orange chicken combo plate w/rice and Chow mein for $20. Hubby liked his hot links. We both enjoyed the orange chicken. This plate was so hot and hefty, and I felt it was almost worth the price I paid. I found my wind spinner vendor and paid $18, which was $3 more than a few years ago, I think. My coffee cake vendor decided not to bring the large coffee cakes to sell but offered small muffin-sized versions instead. I was also hoping to find a Dipping Dots vendor this year, but I couldn't find 'em. One dude wanted $10 for one cookie. Nope. Will we return next year? Hmmmm, maybe.

Our favorite place for quiet contemplation. Enjoying the weather, sounds of running water and…read moreenjoying the best secret in town. Again, staff was busy making the garden look even more lovely. The hardworking, friendly and talented staff are the best.

Five stars because it costs no yen…read more As far as Japanese gardens go, this one is my least favorite because it is rectangular, with a visible metal fence perimeter, with ugly trash and graffiti visible from across the creek and no opportunities to feed the koi fish. Three things, though, that make it special is that they have memorial plaques, stray cats, and blowtorched wood for an aged and weather-resistant finish. From 1913-1962, the site was a practice site for farming and raising livestock for Hayward Union High. It became a garden by the late 1970s, and when dedicated in 1980, focusing on botany (with plants donated by local Japanese-American nurseries) rather than religion. Every first Saturday at 1pm there's a free lecture/tour. It's not especially beautiful or big (3.5 acres) or exciting (the few people I saw there were on their phones), but it's a peaceful, clean area. I think informational displays could help people enjoy it more. Or phone chargers. Information like, many of the wooden connections (including the main entry gate) have notches instead of notches to fit together like puzzle pieces. This more authentic approach prevents rust. Or, the garden uses the Shakkei technique: when you can stand at the highest point, the surrounding trees are meant to look like distant mountains, with specific plants blended with the Japanese maples and native Oaks to make the garden feel ten timers larger than its actual 3.5 acres. Or, the hand-selected granite boulders from the Sierra Nevadas are buried one-third into the ground so it looks like they are growing, which is why I don't manicure myself often. .

What can we really say about Fremont other than...It's Fremont. I went to Azevada elementary school…read morefor several years in my former/younger life here. If you're not over 40, we didn't go there at the same time. lol I have fond memories of fremont from my youth, that include The Fremont Hub, NewPark mall, and a lot more...but it's very different today. I've noticed it's become less diverse and a lot different. Still a cool place to visit, not the hub of entertainment, but safe and quiet for the most part. It has a beautiful landscape as most cities in the bay that run along the foothills and bodies of water at the same time.

What a beautiful Bay Area city, rolling hills, historic farming area, great community spirit…read more I work in Fremont and have found my co-workers love it here, with hiking and bike trails everywhere. Especially notable is the Community Spirit: The Shaolin Festival (5/15) was enhanced by several elected officials describing the importance of strong community & family- health, unity, hope. It was inspiring to me, as a volunteer at this event.

this mural viewable in the 7-11 parking is faded and quite old. no doubt a comic book store was…read moreonce a tenant in the building behind it. Batman, Superman, Captain American, Flash, Spider Man, Hulk, and Wolverine can be seen in the mural. doubt such a mural can be painted these days as Marvel and DC comics don't mix their heros with other groups. creator: United BUstvie?

Faded but has great memories! When I see this I know I'm home! (My mural). This was painted when…read moreAmerican Comics was there. When I had this painted, 9-11 had just happened. This was in honor of the strength of our country. Look at the top right corner... clearly has 9-11 on it.

Epoch is a public art installation located in the City of Sunnyvale, California. Located on Java…read moreStreet and adjacent to the NetApp headquarters, it is the work of Brad J. Goldberg. Goldberg, a native of Rhode Island, specializes in large outdoor installations. His works can be massive and often incorporate element of the surrounding community into account. From the artist: "Artist Brad Goldberg sees his work as a fusion between sculpture, landscape, and the built environment. Sculptures are seen, not as isolated objects, but rather as spirit-creating components of larger spatial experiences. The desire to work with the environment as a whole allows the creation of a unique non-preconceived response to the total aspect of a place." Epoch is a fantastic instillation. Its composed of three large granite boulders that have been cut in half and arranged in a split fashion. The cut surfaces have been polished smooth and the whole face has been engraved with binary code which reflects the technological aspect of the area. I freely admit that I can still send rudimentary signals with semaphore (Thank you Boy Scouts) but binary code reading is beyond my skill so I have no idea if there is a message in teh code. However, as I was taking a picture of a snail on the surface I noticed that several words were engraved into its surface breaking up the strings of 1 and 0's. The words I found were: Change, Nature, Community, Listen, Integrity, Imagination, Evolve, Substance, See, Chaos, and Craft. The artist intent was to show "words which can be seen to align or conflict with today's technological advancements". If that was his true intent he really hit it spot on. Epoch as noted is located in a technology park and basically surrounded by office space. There is very little in the area beyond this installation and it should be treated as a stop as opposed to an outright destination. There is a light rail station right next to the street for the public tranpost inclined.

Wish I knew and visited this library with my kiddo before. My son is 1.5 years old and started to…read morelove reading books and listening to me and his teachers book reading to him. We have lot of books at home but he's bored of them. My friend recommended we take my son here and I am so glad I visited today. The play area for children is super fun. There are tons and tons of books. Didn't get to browse as I came only an hour before closing. I really wish their weekend hours are longer. 5pm is early. I am a huge book nerd myself and read hundreds of books in my teen years. Library is my happy place. Happy that my son is enjoying books as much as I do. Will visit again, get membership and start lending books frequently.

Just an FYI to other parents. Do not bother bringing your child to Thursday morning toddler…read morestorytime unless they are age 1 or 2. I tried bringing my 3 year old to storytime, we arrived 20 minutes prior to the library opening, stood in line only to be told my child is too old for their storytime and their curriculum is designed for only 1 or 2 year olds. It's a storytime, you're reading books and singing songs, and you're denying a 3 year old from participating? No where on your online listing does it state an age restriction. It's an age recommendation not restriction. If you are restricting to certain ages then please update your posting so you do not waste people's time. It's already enough effort getting our children ready, taking them to the library and arriving early only to be turned away. We will NOT be returning to this library. I recommend checking out the Newark, Hayward downtown, Hayward weekes or Milpitas library all as alternative options. They have great storytimes that we have attended before without any issues.

10/10 -- Worth Every Penny (Parlor/Dome Car Experience)…read more If you're considering the Niles Canyon Train of Lights, do yourself a favor and splurge on the Parlor Car or Dome car. It completely transforms the experience. From the moment you board, you're treated like a VIP: dedicated seating in a fully enclosed caboose, attentive service throughout the ride, and complimentary warm drinks and sweets that are perfect for a cold, wet winter night. Being waited on while rolling through a glowing canyon? Yes, please. One of the biggest perks is having your own reserved space, while still being free to explore the rest of the train--knowing your seat is secure and shared only with fellow Parlor Car Riders. It strikes the perfect balance between comfort and adventure. I've done both the 4:30 pm and 7:30 pm departures, and while both are enjoyable, 4:30 pm is the clear winner for me. You get to take in the scenery before the sun fully sets, which adds a magical transition from daylight to twinkling lights. The 7:30 pm ride feels more social and cozy--great for lingering conversations with family and friends--but the earlier ride lets you truly appreciate your surroundings. As for the cost, it's important to note that this railway is 100% donation-funded and entirely volunteer-operated. Knowing that every dollar goes directly toward preserving the historic railway, maintaining the trains, and supporting the volunteers who make this experience possible makes the price feel even more justified. You're not just paying for a ride--you're supporting a piece of living history. Bottom line: Cozy Thoughtfully curated For a great cause Perfect for winter evenings If you're on the fence about the Parlor Car or Dome Car upgrade--it's absolutely worth it.

All aboard! If you…read moreare looking for a low key outing that's suitable for all ages then consider booking a ride on Niles Canyon Railway. Enjoy a slow ride Sunol to downtown Niles and back, approx 1.5 hours. A docent will share tid bits of history during the ride. There are snacks for purchase and you can bring your own. I prepared a simple charcuterie for me and mom, gotta have something to nosh on as we enjoy the view. It's June and the hills are brown already but oh well it's still pretty. I was a little worried about whether my mom would struggle boarding the train as I didn't book ADA as she is not in wheelchair. The steps are slightly deeper than ours at home but she made it up without difficulty, there is a railing for support. Conductor did offer us to go to the car with the lift if we wanted. My next anxiety was holding up the boarding as mom navigated the stairs slowly and there quite a few people behind us. Everyone was patient thankfully and no one scoffed. Would love to do their holidays lights ride sometime but I haven't been successful in last few years to get tickets, they go fast.