Los Gatos Weekly-Times

The Prowler

Within this issue lies the "Best of Los Gatos"--that yearly tribute by residents and friends to the places, spaces and faces that make the Town of the Cats the unsurpassed best place to live, work, shop, learn and play.

With more than 130 categories with queries, such as best Italian restaurant, best police officer and best community event, the ballot seems to cover it all. The Prowler, however, can't help but think of answers to some questions that were not asked. Here are a few additional "cat"-egories:

Best Tree-born View of the Town: Without a doubt, the 73-year-old Deodara cedar firmly rooted in the Town Plaza Park. You know, the tall one with the star on top that only lights up during the holidays? From this tree's branches, an intrepid cat can survey a wide domain, including all of downtown. It also provides a private vantage point to view happenings like Music in the Plaza, the Farmers' Market and, of course, the Christmas Parade.

Best Place to Eat Free Without Having to Hunt: The aforementioned Farmers' Market wins here. A hungry cat can snack on samples of fresh fruit, veggies, nuts, pasta and jam on crackers--just to name a few. Not to mention raw milk for lapping up!

Best Place to Watch Dogs Walk Their People: N. Santa Cruz Avenue for walkers or light joggers, or the Los Gatos Creek Trail for more serious walkers, joggers or runners. Have you ever noticed how some people resemble their dogs? Another funny scene are human/canine teams where the four-footer is trotting along, tongue hanging happily from his mouth, only to be delayed by the huffing owner puffing along behind.

Best Place to Find Cars With Warm Hoods to Curl Up On: The LGPD wins this honor. Where else are you guaranteed to find cars driving in and out at all hours of the day and night--even at 3:14 a.m.? Now that the weather's turning, a nocturnal critter really appreciates having a wide, warm piece of metal to heat up the fur and feet!