Campbell, my little hamlet

I live in Campbell, California, south of the San Francisco Bay, in Silicon Valley, here: http://mapq.st/19lgvem It is not quite autumn here yet, although I believe I did see an autumn leaf yesterday.

While I was living in a nondescript one-bedroom apartment in San Jose, my daughter and I visited Campbell one weekend during a farmers’ market. We loved what we found here, and I decided to move to Campbell as soon as I could afford it.

This is what I wrote about Campbell, a few days before I moved here in 2011:

On March 26, I’m moving into a cozy apartment within a quick walk to historic downtown Campbell. This little town is cute. eBay started in Campbell, and still has an office building here. Of course, I bump into Joe Staley, right tackle for the San Francisco 49ers, Lars Frederiksen of Rancid and of The Bastards, and Alan Aerts, world powerlifting champion, whenever I go to the Orchard Cafe to grab a cup of joe. See you there!

P.S. Not only do I not bump into the people named in that, but I’d never even heard of them until I read some piece published by the Chamber of Commerce.

P.P.S. I said that Campbell is cute, but it’s not so cute that I’d find it unbearable. It’s just the right amount of community and cute for me.

Some pics of Campbell

• Campbell, March 2011
• Campbell Boogie on the Bayou
• Campbell Oktoberfest
• Campbell Poems in the Park
• Campbell Easter Parade

I moved from the apartment mentioned to a slightly larger condo last November. I’m still very close to the downtown main street, Campbell Ave., which is always busy hosting something. We have a year-round farmers’ market every Sunday morning, Art Walks, and Campbell Craft walks once a month each, and various other events popping up regularly. This morning, I took a walk to the farmers’ market only to discover that this week it was displaced by the Oktoberfest. I still find these activities, the downtown shops, and the community feel here charming. my daughter and her friends like it here too.