Do you know the way to San Jose?

San Jose is the 11th largest city in the US, and it has a lot to offer visitors. When the weather is gray on the coast, San Jose is normally sunny and warm. So walking outside, ducking into antique shops and cafes, enjoying the day is a great way to spend time.

Staying true to the technology boom that put it on the map, the city also offers many an educational experience at the Tech Museum of Innovation downtown or the Intel Museum. Culture abounds at the San Jose Museum of Art, the Institute of Contemporary Arts, the Center for Latino Arts or the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum.

Family fun is had at the Happy Hollow Park and Zoo or the Children's Discovery Museum. And, of course, a trip to one of the cities within easy reach of San Jose--San Francisco or Monterey--is a must.

Quick Tips:

The hotspots for nightlife in San Jose are SoFA (South of First Area), which is a neighborhood bursting with clubs and galleries and cafes. San Pedro Square is a more historic and upscale area with a good selection of restaurants, pubs, and bars.

Hwy 101 is the fastest way to San Francisco, if you're going up that way, but going out of the way to pick up Hwy 1 is worth the jaw-dropping views. Monterey's claim to fame is the Pebble Beach Golf Course, worth the drive for any aspiring Tiger Woods who doesn't mind the green fees. Take a detour to the Steinbeck Center in Salinas if you're a John Steinbeck lover. (See details about activities in Monterey and surrounding areas in my separate journal.) Take advantage of a wine tasting or two. Fine wine is a large part of Silicon Valley.

Best Way To Get Around:

I rented a car in San Jose and discovered the locals drive like residents of my home city--Atlanta--always in a hurry, always faster than the speed limit unless stuck still in traffic.

Public transportation is, however, readily available. The VTA (Valley Transportation Authority) provides free transport from the airport to the light rail system in town. There are also shuttles and trolleys running daily. If you want to check out the feasibility of using just public transport, visit www.vta.org for more information.

The Moorpark Hotel caters to the business traveler. It is conveniently located on the north side of the city, just a few minutes away from the San Jose airport.

Upon entry into the lobby with its red leather chairs and hardwood floors, I knew I was going to have a comfortable stay. The staff was extremely professional as I checked in, making sure to tell me about the underground parking garage and other hotel ammenities.

I rode the elevator up to the Club Floor and walked into a sitting area full of books and chairs. A side table held a plate of chocolate chip cookies. The decor was all dark wood with a masculine feel about the place. I walked over to a box that looked like a humidor. I opened it expecting to find Cuban cigars and laughed when I discovered a backgammon set. The hotel is a nonsmoking property. There is also a billards table on the second floor. This is the type of a place in which a man orders Scoth.

My room was spacious and comfortable with modern decor, geometric art on the walls. There was a wide desk at which I put my laptop. A couch with fold out bed was near the window. I had a nice view of the heated pool and hot tub. My bed was wonderfully comfortable with tons of big, fluffy feather pillows. The bathroom had stone tiled floors with Aveda products on the counter. I don''t think the tub was big enough for a bath, but the water pressure in the shower was strong and hot!

I visited the Park Bar and Grill the next morning for a nice continental breakfast. (See separate entry.) I peeked into a small business center on the first floor, complete with computer and fax machine for guest use. I learned that the Moorpark has a spa on-site, too, but it was not open as of February 2002.

I enjoyed my stay at the Moorpark, and I would suggest it to any traveler in San Jose for work or pleasure. San Francisco is also only a short drive away.

While in San Jose, I had a great craving for sushi. Famous Japantown would have been a good place to seek out this type of cuisine, but I did not want to drive far from my hotel. I found Momoyama right on Saratoga, not far from the freeway entrance.

I was welcomed when I walked through the door by a smiling Japanese hostess in a blue kimono. Two chefs in paper hats were working away behind the large sushi bar. I found the rich red motif of the restaurant’s interior to be warm and inviting. Icicle lights twinkled from where they hung from the tops of the windows. The atmosphere was an interesting blend of Japanese and American.

The service I received was very quick and friendly, and I was given a bowl of soup to eat with my edamame while I waited for the rest of my meal. My unagi rolls were ready in no time, and the eel was fresh and good. There were not a ton of selections listed for different types of sushi, but I got the feeling that the sushi chef would try to be accomodating.

As any lover of this type of food knows, sushi is almost always expensive, and the prices at Momoyama proved typical.

But I greatly enjoyed my meal.

While a hot breakfast menu is not available, the Park Bar and Grill offers a complimentary continental breakfast to guests of the Moorpark Hotel each morning. Plenty of fresh fruit is presented with bagels, muffins and pastries. Lunch cannot be ordered, but a nice dinner menu is available. I found the food to be reasonably priced for a hotel. Entrée selections ranged from grilled Rib-Eye steak with horseradish whipped potatoes ($20.95) to grilled salmon with snow crab and pasta Alfredo ($13.95) or pasta pomodoro with toasted garlic and seasonal vegetables ($11.95). Vegetarians might enjoy the grilled eggplant sandwich with sautéed tomatoes, onions, provolone and garlic on grilled baguette ($7.50) served with garlic fries. At the time of my stay, the Park Bar and Grill offered a happy hour at the bar with complimentary hors d’oeuvres in the evening.

The restaurant itself is small. Two large, flat televisions frame the bar on opposite walls. Tables look out onto the pool and hot tub. For especially warm evenings, outside poolside seating is available!

I don't think I'd go to the Moorpark just to eat at the Park Bar and Grill, but if I were staying in the hotel, I would not hesitate to grab a meal here.