8 of us went to Saratoga to visit the Villa Montalvo in Saratoga
15400 Montalvo Rd in Saratoga (about 1.5 hrs from Castro Valley on a weekday)
The Villa Montalvo is a national historical landmark built in 1912 by James Duval Phelan (1861-1930). Phelan, who was a 3 term mayor of San Francsico, went on to become California's first popularly elected US Senator. The estate was his beloved country home until his death in 1930.
The name "Villa Montalvo" is a reference to popular 16th century Spanish writer Garci Ordonez de Montalvo who first coined the name "California". In one of his fables, he described an island rich with gold and jewels, people by Amazons whose queen was named Califa. On the mythical island of California, Montalvo's Amazons rode griffins, the winged guardians of precious treasure. Griffin statues can still be found throughout the Montalvo grounds, standing guard over one of California's true precious treasures.
In the Senator's time, Villa Montalvo was a center of artistic, political and social life in Northern California. Phelan invited writers and artists to Villa Montalvo to work on individual artistic projects - Jack London, Ethel Barrymore, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, and Edwin Markham were among Phelan's many guests.
Senator Phelan is remembered as a patron of the arts, and an advocate for public health, woman's suffrage, and anti-corruption. He is responsible for creating public parks and protected natural spaces, and also for the damming of Hetch Hetchy Valley, which has served as a key water source for the San Francisco Bay Area for over a century.
NOW: over 100 years after construction of the Villa was completed, Montalvo Arts Center animates these historic grounds with a vision to serve our community as a catalyst for discourse and cultural understanding.
We are home to the Lucas Artist Program, which serves as a creative incubator and cultural producer supporting contemporary artists in their creative process. We commission multidisciplinary, culturally relevant works of art, we host festivals, art exhibitions, and other public programs that allow our community to connect with artists and the arts. We are a dynamic and innovative force for arts education. Every year, we impact the lives of nearly a quarter million people from all over the Bay Are.
We are passionately dedicated to diversity, and aim to serve as an inclusive environment rich in dialogue and fellowship for all our patrons. In all our programs and projects, we are guided by the sincere belief that the arts belong to everyone, and that they enrich our lives. help us explore complex topics, spark necessary conversations, and bring us together as a community.
We gather in front of the Art Center after parking in Lot 3 and 4
The hiking trails start from Lot 4
Jamie Phoung, Mercedes Escobedo, Linda and George Sugimura,
Yorkman Lowe, Jackie Low, Clarence Cheung
Mingyu Cheung in this picture on the far right
We could only take a quick peak at the inside because they were preparing for an event and there was a day camp taking place there this week.
There are short trails throughout the property and this one near the villa led to the People's Hut which was constructed June 2026
We meander down this garden path
Mingyu
To the Italian Garden
our photographer George Sugimura
Mingyu and Clarence Cheung - first time at ADD LIFE
The we drove to downtown Saratoga for an Italian Lunch
Florentine Trattoria 14510 Big Basin Way, Saratoga 95070
