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Sunday, May 15, 2011 by Bill.

I first heard of Patch.com from Ryan Sebastian of Treatbot. A few months back we were chatting at a South FIRST Fridays event and he told me Treatbot had been interviewed by Adelaide Chen of Milpitas Patch, and that Mayra Flores de Marcotte was preparing to launch a new Campbell Patch. I knew Mayra’s handmade Kerfufle jewelry and her husband Josh’s Lost San Jose photography from exhibits at The Usuals. Treatbot…South FIRST Fridays…The Usuals…these are all luminous bodies in the AllCamino firmament, so let’s say Patch.com came to me well-recommended by these indirect El Camino connections.
I immediately checked it out and learned Patch.com is a slick, coordinated, AOL-owned network of hyperlocal news sites about communities across the country. Several are in California so I subscribed to all the Bay Area Patches for cities that lie on El Camino Real or have mission connections. I figured this would be an excellent way to catch news stories about the road. My current, growing list of Patches to follow is:
Back in November, as I was embarking on the the Shellmound Peace Walk through Milpitas, I contacted Adelaide in the spirit of networking and to my surprise got signed on as a freelance contributor. Since then she has given me the opportunity to write three articles for Patch—my first experience in journalism. It was a blast writing with a professional voice and (full disclosure) it was quite cool to be paid for those pieces.
Recently, however, she let me know that all Patches are adding a new feature: blogs. They are offering space for bloggers to write in their own voices about local topics they are passionate about. Patch bloggers don’t get paid, but they gain expanded exposure to a wider audience while retaining independence and ownership over the content. I knew right away this was a natural fit for me. Freedom!
I contacted the various Patch editors and so far the response has been quite positive. This is new for everyone so I’m still figuring out how it will work, but here’s the vision. AllCamino.com will continue to exist independently exactly as it does today; I’ll still do what I do. But if I write a post that might interest a particular Patch’s readers, I may cross-post to that Patch’s blog. Or I might write a standalone piece at Patch and just link to it here.
I’m taking baby steps now. I just published my first Patch blog at Los Altos Patch. The editor there, L.A. Chung, was the first to activate my Patch blog and she’s been very supportive and helpful so to her go the spoils. Click the link to read it:
An El Camino Real Journey
By Bill Moore | May 10, 2011
El Camino Real is an important part of California history and Bay Area life. AllCamino.com is a blog that celebrates the past, present and future of The Royal Road.
It’s a fairly generic piece. My intention is to use it as an introduction on every Patch. See, I can do that. Freedom!
Do you like my profile photo there? It took me many takes and half an hour to get it right. It’s a trick-shot self-portrait and all I had as a guide was the little mirror on the back of my cameraphone. It was a lot harder than I expected and I got some funny looks from drivers whizzing by on El Camino. Can you locate that bell?
I think this Patch relationship will be a lot of fun. The symbolism is irresistable. AllCamino is the virtual link among the various Patches, just as El Camino Real is the concrete link that joins the real cities. These Patches are stitched together by a common thread that together make up the fabric of Northern California. Um, too much? Sorry about that.
I love the breathless tone of press releases—they’re invariably so thrilled!—and I always wanted to write one, so here we go:
Today AllCamino.com is thrilled to announce a new partnership with Patch.com. Blogger Bill Moore says, “This is the dawn of a new era of Bay Area hyperlocal storytelling. AllCamino and Patch create unique synergy and an enhanced value proposition for our combined readership along the El Camino Real information superhighway.” Arianna Huffington, founder of The Huffington Post and recent addition to the AOL family, remarks, “We are thrilled to roll out one of the most exciting offshoots of our turbo-charged web presence. This week we launch a great new chapter for Patch.com.”
That’s a real quote from Arianna, by the way, just not about me specifically. A real journalist wouldn’t take a quote out of context like that, but hey I’m a blogger. Freedom!
Posted in Milpitas, Belmont, South San Francisco, Millbrae, people, Los Altos, San Rafael, Santa Cruz, Gilroy, First Street, San Mateo, meta, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, El Camino Real, San Jose, Mountain View, San Bruno, web, San Carlos, Burlingame, news, The Alameda | Print | 2 Comments »
Thursday, December 9, 2010 by Bill.
I had this great idea for a blog post: the AllCamino Gift Guide. This is the season for a lot of things, not the least of which is giving. I thought I’d make a little list of lovely El Camino gifts, either stuff related to or available on our favorite road. That’s when I hit a snag. Whom is this list for? If, like me, you have an abiding affection for The Royal Road, then of course you read this blog avidly and you’re reading this post at this very moment, which means the surprise will be ruined for you if you are lucky enough to receive anything on this list. All I can suggest is that you stop reading now, but we both know that’s not going to happen. On the other hand, if you’re shopping for the El Camino enthusiast in your life, then you’re probably married to me, and remember we agreed on a dollar amount limit this year, Dear.
Joking aside, these are some items off the top of my head that I think would make great gifts now or anytime. It’s limited in geographic scope because I do spend most of my time in Santa Clara County, so that’s what I know. Over time I hope to find treasures in other regions. I’ll let you know in next year’s list. These are presented in no particular order.
Get your tee shirts, sweatshirts, and hoodies at The Usuals on The Alameda in San Jose. This iconic design by Mike Millares of Deadstök is blowing up; don’t miss the excitement. Here’s a challenge: upload or email to The Usuals an unusual photo of yourself wearing your shirt. We’re trying to start a movement. (This picture of me doesn’t count as unusual; the movement hadn’t started yet when we took it.)
As it just so happens, The Usuals is hosting a party Friday, December 10 from 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM showcasing favorite Deadstök designs. It’s a sign! Beats by The Bangerz and grub by the WOW Truck.
I know, I know, gift cards are the last refuge of the uninventive and the desperate, but you know they work and they’re always appreciated. Here’s the beautiful thing: if you get a Simon gift card, the recipient can use it at either the Great Mall or Stanford Shopping Center, both of which are within the AllCamino jurisdiction. They’re good at Gilroy Premium Outlets too, which is pretty darn close to Monterey Road. How Camino is that?
Ah, C. J. Olson Cherries, jewel of Sunnyvale. I’m crazy about the summer fruit they sell at the fruit stand, but when winter rolls around I’m all about their dried fruit. In particular I love the mixed pastels: Bing cherries, pears, blueberries, and Olson’s famous apricots dipped in creamy chocolate and sealed in a color-coded candy coating. Toothsome and tasty. Look for them at the San Jose and Oakland airports if you need to grab a quick gift on your way out of town.
This one is for the real El Camino afficionado: the book California’s El Camino Real and Its Historic Bells by Max Kurillo and Erline Tuttle. This is the only book I’ve read to date solely about the road and it contains history and photos you won’t find anyplace else. You can order it directly from California Bell Company.
Stanford University is a hotbed of collegiate a cappella music with nine diverse groups on campus at last count. They all have recordings available, and I’m pretty sure you can find their latest and greatest CDs at the Stanford Bookstore. If not, you can contact the groups directly, and some even sell their recordings through Amazon.com and other outlets. Check out “Through the Roof” by my old group, Fleet Street. Yes I’m shameless, but it’s my blog and I’ll plug if I want to.
Ah, I just thought of something from San Mateo County! See’s Candies is headquartered in South San Francisco right on El Camino. Their retail stores, of course, can be found everywhere. I’ve actually never had their Polar Bear Paws but they sound awesome: white chocolate, roasted peanuts, and caramel. The perfect holiday treat.
Happy shopping!
Posted in South San Francisco, meta, Milpitas, art, Gilroy, Monterey Road, performances, Stanford, El Camino Real, San Jose, Palo Alto, retail, Sunnyvale, The Alameda | Print | 2 Comments »
Monday, November 8, 2010 by Bill.
This week you have two opportunities to help your neighbors in need while enjoying a delicious meal at a number of terrific Bay Area restaurants.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010 dozens of restaurants are participating in the first annual Bay Area Dine Out. This benefits Meals on Wheels which serves meals to over 8,500 seniors throughout the entire region. Simply dine out at any of the restaurants and let them know you’re there for Dine Out, and they’ll donate part of the proceeds from your meal to this worthy cause.
The full list of restaurants grouped by county is on their website: http://dineoutnow.org/. Of course I know you are primarily interested in restaurants on El Camino Real, so I’ve taken the liberty of extracting the establishments that meet your discerning criteria.
If these don’t suit you, do peruse the full list for someplace that does. You can be excused this one time for patronizing eateries not on El Camino. It might be wise to call ahead for reservations.
If you’re in San Francisco, don’t eat too much on Tuesday because on Wednesday, November 10 you have the opportunity to do it again. An organization called Mission Graduates is putting on an event called Food for Thought at various restaurants in the Mission District. Proceeds from your meal will benefit the Mission Graduates program which works with kids from the Mission and prepares them for college. Demographically these kids are disadvantaged so this program provides crucial help for them to reach their goals through higher education. Thanks to the good folks at Stark Insider for alerting me to this event.
Find participating restaurants on Mission Graduates’ web site: http://www.missiongraduates.org/foodforthought/. Again let them know you’re there for Food for Thought. The restaurants are not all on Mission Street or Dolores or other streets that qualify as El Camino in San Francisco, but they’re close enough that again, I’ll grant you a free pass. Thinking about all these great restaurants has put me in a charitable mood.
benefiting Meals on Wheels
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
http://dineoutnow.org/
benefiting Mission Graduates
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
http://www.missiongraduates.org/foodforthought/
Posted in San Francisco, Mission Street, Santa Clara, Belmont, Santa Clara Street, Gilroy, Monterey Road, Redwood City, Burlingame, El Camino Real, San Jose, Palo Alto, events, San Bruno, Menlo Park, restaurants | Print | 1 Comment »
Saturday, October 2, 2010 by Bill.
On September 22, Metro, Silicon Valley’s weekly newspaper, put out their “Best of Silicon Valley” issue, 2010 edition. It contains the readers’ choices and editors’ picks of the best locations, goods, and services available in Santa Clara County and beyond. Of all the “Best of” lists out there, Metro’s is the one I’ve always valued the most partly because it always brings the wacky with unique categories like “Best Place to be a Scarecrow”and “Best Place to Buy an Accordian,” but mostly because it delivers. Some of my favorite joints in the South Bay proudly display coveted Metro “Best of” placards. They have weight with me, and they’ve earned my trust.
It’s no surprise Metro is so in tune with quality in the Valley. As it so happens this is their 25th annual list, a noteworthy milestone. They know what they’re doing and they do it well. You might even say too well: the sucker is pretty large. This year the printed list is 80 pages long. I scanned every page with glee but quickly realized what the problem was. They covered the entire Valley including, shockingly enough, businesses and locations that are not on El Camino Real. Yeah, I know, right? I understand their reasoning. Conceivably someone could find themselves on, say, San Carlos Street and they can’t easily get to El Camino and they desperately need to buy some sporty sunglasses. In such a scenario a two-dimensional “Best of” list could hypothetically be handy. All the same I took it upon myself to scour the list and extract for you the best of the “Best of,” the winners which are located on extended El Camino Real.
The list is below, presented not by category but in rough geographical order. Winners that are tagged with “#2″ or “#3″ came in second or third in the readers’ polling; otherwise they came in first or were simply awarded by the editors. This was a big copy-’n’-paste job so I apologize in advance for any errors I might have injected.
As I was putting this together I noticed that the list is heavily weighted towards Downtown San Jose. Then I remembered: Metro Silicon Valley is headquartered on El Camino, at 550 South First Street, in San Jose’s SoFA district. Now we know why the list is so good.
#3 Best Furniture Store
6881 Monterey Road, Gilroy
Best Stromboli
3852 Monterey Hwy., San Jose
#2 Best Motorcycle Shop
2897 Monterey Hwy., San Jose
#2 Best Alternative to Home Depot
1402 Monterey Hwy., San Jose
Best Art Gallery
560 S. First St., San Jose
#3 Best Art Museum
520 S. First St., San Jose
#2 Best Theater Company
490 S. First St., San Jose
Best Gallery for Weird Art
#3 Best Art Gallery
451 S. First St., San Jose
I’ve been to WORKS three times in the past month, every two weeks, and each time the exhibit has been completely different. They turn this place over fast and frequently. I loved the most recent (OP)Space installation.
Best Place to Play Pool
420 S. First St., San Jose
#2 Best Latin/Salsa Club
417 S. First St., San Jose
#3 Best New Restaurant
399 S. First St., San Jose
This is high on my list of places to try, featuring lighter Southern fare.
#3 Best Latin/Salsa Club
399 S. First St., San Jose
#3 Best Big Dance Club
396 S. First St., San Jose
Best Cultural Guerillas
Anno Domini, 366 S. First St., San Jose
I was unaware until now that this pair deserves a lot of credit for the cool, creative vision which San Jose’s SoFA district has become recently.
#2 Best Gay or Lesbian Bar
349 S. First St., San Jose
Most Romantic Movie Watching Spot
345 S. First St., San Jose
Best Symphony/Classical Group
325 S. First St., San Jose, performances at the California Theatre
Best Moderately Priced Italian Food
Best Late Night Eats
Best Martinis
301 S. First St., San Jose
#3 Best Boutique Hotel - San Jose/Los Gatos
211 S. First St., San Jose
Best Yoga Studio
200 S. First St. #70, San Jose
Best Collaboration
SoFA District, San Jose
So sad I missed this live. Check it out on
YouTube.
Best Urban Uprising
San Jose
Best Children’s Theater
271 S. Market St., San Jose, performances at Montgomery Theater
Best History/Specialty Museum
201 S. Market St., San Jose
#3 Best Toy Store
201 S. Market St., San Jose
Best Art Museum
110 S. Market St., San Jose
#2 Best Gift Store
110 S. Market St., San Jose
Dang, now my Christmas gift-buying secret is out!
#2 Best Seafood Restaurant
#2 Best Happy Hour
170 S. Market St., San Jose
Best Hotel
Best Luxury Hotel - San Jose/Los Gatos
170 S. Market St., San Jose
#3 Best Jazz/Blues Club
#3 Best Hotel Bar
170 S. Market St., San Jose
#2 Best Martinis
172 S. Market St., San Jose
Best Local Festival
Plaza de Cesar Chavez, San Jose
A couple years ago I took my son to Music in the Park to see his first live rock band, Smash Mouth. He’ll always cherish that night.
#2 Best Local Festival
Various venues, downtown San Jose
Best Official South Bay Cultural Treasure
Mexican Heritage and Mariachi Festival artistic director
I include her as an El Caminoan because the 2010 San Jose Mariachi Festival culminated at Plaza de Cesar Chavez, which I also count as El Camino. It’s a long story.
Best Bacon Hot Dogs
Market and Santa Clara streets, San Jose
Best Name for a Downtown Store
19 S. First St., San Jose
It’s a San Jose thing. You wouldn’t understand.
Best Vegetarian Overall
#3 Best Asian Vegetarian
37 S. First St., San Jose
Best Asian Fusion
#2 Best Malaysian Restaurant
96 S. First St., San Jose
Mmm…corn fritters…
#2 Best Hair Salon - San Jose/Sunnyvale/Los Gatos
2 N. Market St. #100, San Jose
Best Deli/Sandwich Shop
2 North Market St., Suite 105, San Jose
717 E. El Camino Real, Sunnyvale
1350 Grant Rd., Mountain View
Multiple locations
Best Dance Company
40 N. First St., San Jose
#3 Best Tapas/Small Plates
62 W. Santa Clara St., San Jose
Best Farmers Market
San Pedro and Santa Clara streets, San Jose. Fridays, 10am-2pm
Best Irish Pub
25 N. San Pedro St., San Jose
#3 Best Local Burger Place
29 N. San Pedro St., San Jose
Best New Restaurant
Best Dining Value
Best Family Restaurant
31 N. Market St., San Jose
Multiple locations
I’m not sure how this counts as new, but I don’t argue the other awards. Apparently they dropped the “Coop” from the name.
Best Place for a Destroyed Nervous System
37 N. San Pedro St., San Jose
Best British Pub
#2 Best Sports Bar
#2 Best Pre-Sharks Game Spot
#2 Best Restaurant Patio
#3 Best Happy Hour
173 W. Santa Clara St., San Jose
Metro readers really really like this place. Can you believe I’ve never been there?
#3 Best Luxury Hotel - San Jose/Los Gatos
233 W. Santa Clara St., San Jose
#2 Best Hotel Bar
233 W. Santa Clara St., San Jose
Best Chocolate Shop
840 The Alameda, San Jose
A surprise win, but well-deserved. It’s special to me because I stopped by Schurra’s for an ice cream cone the day I created this blog. Sadly Bill Mundy, former owner of Schurra’s and father of the current owner, passed away last month, another sad loss to The Alameda.
#3 Best Gay or Lesbian Bar
1010 The Alameda, San Jose
Recently I walked by this place, heard water running, and wondered what it was. Now I know.
Best Boutique-Gallery Crossover
1020 The Alameda, San Jose
The now classic “I heart SJ” tee shirts made them a lock for this prize. Congratulations to Mari and Mike, friends of AllCamino!
#2 Best Local Independent Bookstore
1066 The Alameda, San Jose
Best Local Winery
1000 Lenzen Ave., San Jose
Also a great place to throw a party. We held my wife’s birthday party there a few years ago and it was a hit.
Best Thai Restaurant Beer and Wine List
1423 The Alameda, San Jose
Near and dear to me, the subject of my very first blog post.
#3 Best Organization Making a Difference
1691 The Alameda, San Jose
#2 Best Health Club
1717 The Alameda, San Jose
Various locations
#2 Best College/Independent Radio Station
500 El Camino Real, #3207, Santa Clara
Best Bicycle Shop
2369 El Camino Real, Santa Clara
2320 El Camino Real, Mountain View
Funny how similar the two addresses are, but they’re nine miles apart. That’s El Camino!
Best Furniture Store
2645 El Camino Real, Santa Clara
#3 Best Dance Company
3086 El Camino Real, Santa Clara
Best Alternative to Home Depot
3615 El Camino Real, Santa Clara
777 Sunnyvale Saratoga Road, Sunnyvale
Multiple locations
Best Seafood Restaurant
3775 El Camino Real, Santa Clara
Best Budget Gourmet Selection
727 Sunnyvale/Saratoga Rd., Sunnyvale
590 Showers Dr., Mountain View
Multiple locations
Best Open Mic Night
New Talent Showcase, Wednesday
#3 Best Comedy Venue
157 W. El Camino Real, Sunnyvale
Best Barbecue
161 E. El Camino Real, Sunnyvale
Multiple locations
Best Beauty Supply
328 W. El Camino, Sunnyvale
642 San Antonio Road, Mountain View
1043 El Camino Real, Redwood City
Multiple locations
Best Shoe Store
711 Sunnyvale-Saratoga Road, Sunnyvale
Multiple locations
#2 Best New Restaurant
806 W. El Camino Real, Sunnyvale
Now I’m really excited to try this place.
#2 Best Korean Restaurant
1092 E. El Camino Real #1, Sunnyvale
#3 Best Boutique Hotel - Palo Alto/Mtn. View
860 E. El Camino Real, Mountain View
#3 Best Middle Eastern Restaurant
833 W. El Camino Real, Sunnyvale
#2 Best Indian Vegetarian
165 E. El Camino Real, Mountain View
#2 Best Furniture Store
141 E. El Camino Real, Mountain View
Best Indian Restaurant
2290 El Camino Real #9, Mountain View
600 W. El Camino Real, Mountain View
#3 Best Place to Play Pool
881 E. El Camino Real, Mountain View
Best Car Wash
2690 W. El Camino Real, Mountain View
#3 Best Moderately Priced Italian Food
939 W. El Camino Real, Mountain View
My favorite Italian family. Now I want bruschetta.
Best Computer Store
340 Portage Avenue, Palo Alto
Multiple locations
Best Secret Garden
4261 El Camino Real, Palo Alto
Best Vintage El Camino Bar
4141 El Camino Real, Palo Alto
And may I point out that this is the best category name ever!
#2 Best Luxury Hotel - Palo Alto/Mtn. View
675 El Camino Real, Palo Alto
#2 Best Art Museum
Lomita Drive at Museum Way, Stanford
Best Omelets
#3 Best American Restaurant
#2 Best Breakfast
3150 El Camino Real, Palo Alto
67 Town & Country Village, Palo Alto
Best Local Burger Place
75 Town & Country, Palo Alto
Best Hair Salon - Mtn. View/Palo Alto
Best Day Spa
95 Town and Country Village, Palo Alto
36 Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto
Best Pedicure
240 Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto
#3 Best Local Independent Bookstore
1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park
Best Wine Shop for Bargain Hunting and Splurging
1540 El Camino Real, Menlo Park
Posted in Santa Clara Street, Santa Clara, First Street, Market Street, Gilroy, Monterey Road, Stanford, Mountain View, El Camino Real, San Jose, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Sunnyvale, The Alameda | Print | 1 Comment »