My mother laughed at me when I brought her a drawing I did in the sixth grade. It wasn’t because it was bad – in fact, I remember being quite proud of the art I had created. It was, what I thought, a cute cow. But I learned the bovine I had so lovingly and earnestly drawn was the source of her giggles; apparently, I had drawn the udders on the wrong side of the animal.
“You’re such a city girl,” she said to me then. And it’s true. I was raised from birth in San Jose, a sprawling 178.2 square-mile city with distinct neighborhoods and nearly one million residents. For me it’s familiar, it’s home. Living in a city as big as San Jose was all I knew for a while – but reporting for the Town Crier has made me realize how lucky those are who live in small cities and towns.
I remember my first day at the Town Crier like it was yesterday. That November day in 2022 was misty and cold, following a period of rain that had saturated the ground around the deciduous trees lining Main Street that were in their prime hues of red and orange. It was small. It was quaint. I was charmed.
Los Altos’ downtown is much different from the downtown in San Jose. With shops and restaurants, it’s a community hub where residents bump into their neighbors. When my partner and I decided to have lunch at the Boulanger one Sunday, I remember whispering to him, “That’s the mayor,” as Mayor Pete Dailey walked past us.
If I saw Mayor Matt Mahan anywhere in San Jose, I don’t think it would be because we bumped into each other – it would be because I was at a city council meeting. City leaders, at least compared to those in a big city like San Jose, seem more accessible – and it seems the residents are just as concerned about local policies as the leaders are.
The thing that truly makes Los Altos special? The people.
Los Altos residents smile at you when you’re walking down the street. If I did that in San Jose, people would think I’m planning to mug them. While San Jose feels like a city, Los Altos is a community.
That’s why I’m so grateful to be covering the city of Los Altos for the Town Crier. People are passionate about their city, and that’s why they come out to city council meetings and speak during public comment. It’s why they come to the Town Crier office and talk to me or one of my colleagues about whatever issue they’re crusading for – or against.
I may have been confused about where on a cow the udders are, but there is one thing I’m sure of: The Los Altos community is distinct. It’s special. So here are some words from a city girl: Treasure it, because in Silicon Valley, there aren’t many places with communities like this one.
Christina Casillas is managing editor of the Town Crier.
