Jealous?

Did your neighbor get his pre-ordered Girl Scout Cookies this week, and all you got on your doorstep was the Wave Magazine delivered for no reason? Did your coworker ply everyone with peanut butter patties at this week’s staff meeting while you sulked over your low-fat boysenberry tart? Or maybe you already ate the three boxes you ordered, and really wish you had some more Cinna-Spins.

Girl Scouts to the Rescue! Local troops will be hosting “Girl Scout Cookie Booths” across Willow Glen for the first three weekends in March. If you forgot to order any — or didn’t order enough — these are your last few opportunities to buy Girl Scout Cookies this year.

Here’s the tentative schedule for these “Booth Sales” in March:

Fridays: February 29, March 7, and March 14:

3:00 - 6:00 pm @ Washington Mutual near Lincoln & Minnesota
3:00 - 6:00 pm @ Wells Fargo ** near Meridian & Hillsdale
3:00 - 7:00 pm @ Safeway at Hamilton & Meridian
3:00 - 7:00 pm @ PW Supermarket at Meridian & Foxworthy

Saturdays: March 1, March 8, and March 15:

Pairs well with Coffee: 7:00 am - 12:00 noon @ Peet’s Coffee (near Lincoln & Willow) and at four local Starbucks locations (Lincoln & Minnesota, Leigh & Curtner **, Curtner & Almaden **, and Foxworthy & Cherry).

9:00 am - 1:00 pm @ Wells Fargo near Meridian & Hillsdale
9:00 am - 1:00 pm @ Washington Mutual near Lincoln & Minnesota
9:00 am - 5:00 pm @ Safeway at Hamilton & Meridian
9:00 am - 5:00 pm @ PW Supermarket at Meridian & Foxworthy **

Sundays: March 2, March 9, and March 16:

Pairs well with Coffee: 7:00 am - 12:00 noon @ Peet’s Coffee (near Lincoln & Willow) and at four local Starbucks locations (Lincoln & Minnesota, Leigh & Curtner **, Curtner & Almaden **, and Foxworthy & Cherry).

9:00 am - 5:00 pm @ Safeway at Hamilton & Meridian
9:00 am - 5:00 pm @ PW Supermarket at Meridian & Foxworthy **

** at WGx press time, local Girl Scout Troops were not yet able to cover all locations. Wells Fargo may not have a table on Feb 29 and Mar 14. Booths at some Starbucks shops may be understaffed on Mar 3, 8, 15, and 16 (Curtner & Leigh and Curtner & Almaden in particular).

This booth schedule is subject to change and misinterpretation! If you see cookies for sale … buy them!

In this Presidential Election Season, turn to any news website that impacts public opinion, and you’ll find an “Online Voter Poll” or some such marketing ploy encouraging you to click through to another site.

Of course most of the time, your online opinion means nothing … other than an advertising opportunity for eager marketers.

But here’s an online poll that might just make a difference: Pierluigi Oliverio’s District 6 “Neighborhood Preservation Survey.”

Dear Neighbors,

As some of you may be aware, I have held two community forums regarding the topic of “preserving unique/historical neighborhoods.�

The purpose of the forums was to introduce a concept called “Neighborhoods of Distinction� which would provide neighborhoods the tools to keep the “character� of their neighborhoods intact by respecting private property rights.

Not an easy task; but worthy of discussion.

In an effort to gather district wide feedback, I have prepared a survey for your household to complete.

Your candid feedback is important to me. …

Warm regards,

Councilmember Pierluigi Oliverio
City of San Jose, Council District 6
200 E. Santa Clara St., 18th Floor
San Jose, CA 95113-1905
Office Telephone: 408 535-4906
http://www.sanjoseca.gov/district6/

Express your opinion online! … no advertising, no spam, no dopey photoshop artwork … cute little budget “price tags” on Oliverio’s Budget Meeting notwithstanding.

Results of the survey will be announced Wednesday April 2, at 6:30PM during the “Neighborhoods of Distinction” meeting, currently scheduled for 6:30 pm at the Willows Senior Center.

Just like Mother Nature took advantage of the sunny weather last week – daffodils are out! – so too have construction crews around WG. Work at The Plant retail plaza also moved along at breakneck speed last week, with a few new stores getting ready to open at the corner of Curtner Avenue & Monterey Highway.

Here’s the latest update:

Already Completely Open: Target, Best Buy, PetSmart, and OfficeMax (although most are still celebrating their “Grand Opening” with mail-home coupons and other ongoing promotions)

Just Opened: Toys ‘R’ Us and Babies ‘R’ Us have opened side-by-side along the northern edge of the site, opposite Curtner. “Better Together” declares the “Now Open” banner, although neither store appears on the company’s store locater website just yet.

Coming Soon: Justice, Jamba Juice, Sleep Train, Bath & Body Works, Rubios, Payless Shoe Source, Washington Mutual, and Ross. … OK, these retailers haven’t exactly been keeping a secret, but their storefront signs now reveal their exact locations within the shopping center. Look for them to be open soon, too

And, Now Hiring: The Home Depot (Opening at The Plant in April)

This coming Friday, join the gang at Thursdays (and Fridays) at the Theater, as they present some good ol’ fashion four-part barbershop harmony … taken to the extreme!

Concert by The Peninsulaires
Friday, February 29 (7:00 to 8:00 p.m.)
Willow Glen Little Theater, Cottle Avenue at Malone

The Peninsulaires Chorus is a 30+ man chorus singing entertaining songs in the Barbershop style; good old-fashioned a cappella four part harmony. You haven’t lived until you’ve heard the kind of beautiful, ringing, well-tuned chords that only a cappella music can deliver. This performance will include something for everyone, from old familiar songs to new favorites.

Proceeds benefit the Performing Arts programs at Willow Glen Middle and High Schools, which are also supported by the Willow Glen Foundation.

What better way to celebrate Leap Day 2008?!!

Willow Vale Community Church celebrates its 125th year in San Jose at the end of the month, with a series of events, including special meal activities and sermons.

San Jose’s First Free Methodist Church was organized in downtown San Jose in 1883, and was located at the corner of St. John & 9th Street from 1883 to 1964. In 1964 the church relocated to the corner of Meridian & Curtner, and changed its name to Willow Vale Community Church.

Among the more interesting items on the celebration schedule is an “open sharing” time for former members and pastors at 10:00 on Sunday, preceded by the 9:00 Sunday sermon, “Breakfast with Jesusâ€? featuring former Pastor Dr. David Rupert.

Congratulations to the congregation!

New sidewalks and a few new houses are coming to the corner of Hamilton Avenue, Hamilton Way, and Keesling Avenue. The new sidewalks will actually run all the way to Meridian Avenue, cleaning up the confusing parking situation. Landscaping will replace the extra right-turn lane from Hamilton Way that was closed to traffic a few years ago.

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It’s part of a mini revitalization at the busy corner where Hamilton Avenue curves into Willow Glen on its way to becoming Pine Avenue. Despite its residential purpose, Hamilton Way remains a busy, but unintended thoroughfare for traffic to and from Hicks Avenue. Developers have submitted a proposal to build three new homes where Keesling deadends at Hamilton Way.

A much larger project to add 14 townhomes near the corner on the south side of Hamilton Avenue has been in the planning stages for more than a year.

They’re already open for the curious epicureans, but the official “Grand Opening” for the new Maykadeh Cafe will be on Sunday — when they offer Sunday Brunch from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm.

The newest restaurant from the owner of San Francisco’s Maykadeh Cafe — opens in the old The Glen, Willow Glen Billiards, Hand Crafters’ Mall, D’s Sports Bar, Beavers, B Essential building. As the only recent tenant with experience beyond a one-store operation, perhaps the owner of the Cafe stands a chance of breaking the curse that haunts 1180 Lincoln Avenue.

Their low-key Grand Opening wouldn’t breed much confidence, but starting softly might be a good strategy. During the pre-opening, they are inviting folks in to see the decor (well-placed antiques, comfy couches arranged in the lounge, traditional tables, and a future banquet space upstairs).

The Iranian-Persian restaurant features an espresso bar, fresh-baked pastries, sandwiches, and mazeh. The menu includes salmon, various lamb preparations, and chicken and beef kebabs. The signature dish is Angus Beef skewered and marinated in lime juice, saffron, and onion. If you’re going for brunch, the menu is entirely a la carte, featuring several breakfast crepes and a range of toasted brioche offerings, and lots of fresh fruit.

The Willow Glen menu appears a bit smaller than the SF menu, and the prices vary in both directions. Maykedeh, by the way, is “historically a tavern where poets, mystics and the intelligentsia met to enjoy good food and wine.”

The SF version of Maykadeh is Michelin recommended, and has had many published reviews, including SF Weekly and Fodor’s. Consumer reviews can be found in all of the familiar places, including Yahoo! Local and Yelp.

Anyone who purchased diamonds and other jewelry from a local WG jeweler might want to have their valuables independently appraised. NBC11 is the first news outlet to publish a story that has been rumored for a few weeks:

Dan Mokma, the longtime owner of Willow Estates Jewelry in the Willow Glen neighborhood of San Jose, admits he sold poor quality diamonds to some of his customers. One customer, who bought diamond earrings from Mokma, says he was sold cubic zirconia. Mokma denies selling cubic zirconia to any of his customers.

Mokma says he knew the diamonds were not high quality but sold them anyway to customers who believed they were getting the best stones. “I regret that,” Mokma said. “I did do that. And I deeply regret that. And I’ve been doing everything I can to make it right.” Mokma says he will work with any of his customers who have a problem with their diamonds.

Allegations first surfaced on Willow Glen 2.0 in December, but could not be verified right away. Though Mokma was accused by name at the time, later concerns similar discussions in January on the WGNA eList did not mention a specific jewelry store.

Rumors that Mokma has since been arrested have not been confirmed, but several customers have contacted the Better Business Bureau and the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s office.

The City of San Jose has scheduled an important meeting to discuss the future of sports fields in city parks.

Willow Glen PAL Soccer provides the details on its website:

Community Sports Field Study
Monday, March 3, 2008 — 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

200 East Santa Clara Street, San José, CA 95113
Room Locations: Wing Room 118

San Jose’s District 6 — which includes Willow Glen — has been repeatedly descried as being “park-deficient,” yet the young families that populate much of WG and the Rose Garden have found a way to share limited park space between Little League, t-ball, soccer leagues, softball, adult sports, and even lacrosse.

It’s probably not really worth the bandwidth, but just in case you heard a rumor about a ceiling caving in at Willow Glen Elementary School, don’t worry too much. It didn’t happen here.

And there were no injuries at Willow Glen Elementary in St. Francis, Wisconsin … where it did happen:

An interior ceiling collapsed at a St. Francis elementary school Monday morning because of a leak in the roof. Principal Michelle Mancl of Willow Glen Elementary tells FOX 6 the ceiling was waterlogged and fell in, but that no one was in the library at the time of the collapse. FOX 6’s Kim Murphy brings you the latest.

A lot of rain is expected overnight across San Jose’s Willow Glen neighborhood, but everyone’s roof should be just fine. And public school students return to school on Wednesday, rain or shine.