Street Scene: Via de las Abejas (The Way of the Bees)

Imagine neighborhood residents so excited to describe what life is like on their street, they decide to call a block party to do it. And, apparently, it's no big deal.

It happens all the time along Via de las Abejas, or, in English, ‘The Way of the Bees.'

Known to “Bee Way” residents as a ‘sit out,' last Sunday's gathering was held in the early evening under partly cloudy skies with a shining half moon and a single star hanging nearby.

Not bad for impromptu.

Amazingly, below-normal temperatures didn't hurt the party's ambience. It actually seemed to increase the warm camaraderie that exists between longtime neighbors who really appear to be extended family.

Street parties along Via de las Abejas are so described because neighbors actually grab their folding chairs and ‘sit out' on the sidewalk in front of one of their homes. The only guest of honor is “plenty of food, drink and fun.”

‘Sit outs' started when Bill and Lori Robowski moved in back in 1999 and they started progressive dinners. Most residents say the parties caught on because of longtime neighbors Rob and Marcy Boyles, who call neighbors together often.

The popular parties are called for special occasions and for no reason at all.

Like the time an overheated transformer blew and cut power to the block and that was reason enough to sit outside and party down. Gary H. explains “We had a ‘sit out' one night and the power was out, we were just sitting around in the dark. Then we realized everyone else had power except our block. And, of course, we blamed Bill (Robowski) ‘cause he just put in new air conditioning and a pump on his pool. Finally, Betty (McGowan's) son Andy goes, “Has anyone called PG & E?”

“Nooooo…we're having a fun ‘sit out'… why should we call PG & E?”

Someone else pipes in, “Who wants to get on the phone?”

Gary continues, “And what it was… the transformer in front of the Robowski's house overheated and burned out, basically. And with Bill's ‘encouragement,' (alluding to some apparently bad language) we had a crew put in a new transformer that night.”

That was back in 1999.

“And we've had no problem since then, except for Bill's language (…lots of laughter).”

Speaking of extended family, Kevin and Deb O'Grady say they'll never forget moving day back in 1996. Deb says she was shocked that a group of friendly neighbors promptly introduced themselves the day they moved into their new home and immediately volunteered to clean up their front yard.

“I said ‘Go for it,' remembers Deb.

She says when they asked her what outside tasks needed doing and how she would like things done, they were told “You know what… you guys have to look at it, do what you want.” When the crew was finished,” Deb says “there were 18 piles of (dead) foliage in front of the house, just from the front yard, that they just went and cleaned up because it was such an eyesore. So that was a real overwhelming welcome.”

John and Betty McGowan have lived on Via de las Abejas for 28 years, the longest stretch of any family in residence to date. The McGowans say they love their street mostly because of the wonderful neighbors and the beautiful weather. But the couple does agree that speeders are a problem.

Over the years, they've lost three family cats to passing traffic.

“It's a shortcut street,” explains Betty “All the speeders come down the hill and don't slow down until they make the turn (at Redmond).”

Several years back, Betty worked with neighbor Gary H., an officer with the Los Gatos Police Department, to install a street-side electronic radar unit. She says it did help slow traffic quite a bit, inspiring drivers to watch their speed and to maybe avoid the area altogether.

After living in Blossom Valley for the last 20 years, Manju Kamboj and her husband, Arun just moved in. They say they are very happy with their new home.

The family is originally from India and immigrated to the United States back in 1980.

Mr. and Mrs. Kamboj have a 12-year-old son, Anoop, who attends Castillero Middle School. They also have a 23-year-old son, Ashish, who currently studies at University of California at Davis. Manju is branch manager for Fremont Bank in Fremont and Arun is a manager at Lockheed in Sunnyvale. “When we moved here, they (the neighbors) had a block party just to welcome us. We were very impressed. And we are lucky to be a part of (the neighborhood).”

It's true, the family is fortunate to snag a home on the block. Before the Kamboj's purchase, no new homes had been bought or sold on Via de las Abejas for more than five years.

There is one person who grew up on Via de las Abejas and never left.

Caroline Nasseri attended the Sunday sit out with her dad, Anthony. Her family has lived on the ‘Way of the Bees' for the last 23 years. Caroline was just a teenager when they arrived. Now she's a successful local attorney.

“It's been a great neighborhood, really it's the neighbors that make it. It's made a difference (in my life). It's wonderful to see that people are close to each other.”

She continues, “You see some streets go downhill, but this street's gotten better in terms of neighbors, sense of community and all the remodeling (of homes).”

Did we mention ‘wanna-bees?” That refers to residents from surrounding streets who routinely show up at the sit outs. In reality, no one is an outsider. But neighbors have fun with the term anyway.

Case in point, when Kevin and Tracy Moreen's twins were born four months ago, the couple says neighbors cooked up hot meals for their entire family every night for three weeks after the babies came home. The Moreens live one street over on Calle del Conejo. Tracy Moreen says she was in shock when the meals stopped, then she laughs.

“I thought, “Oh my gosh, where is the food? But we were so grateful for the help and couldn't believe how great (the neighbors) were for so long.”

Wanna-bees Sarah and Rob Berrett also live on Calle del Conejo (Rabbit Street in English). Sarah Berrett says their two young daughters, ages 12 and 13, helped them make the connection with neighbors. Rob's a general contractor and Sarah runs a home business called “Creative Memories.” Their daughters are good with dogs and cats and are regularly hired as neighborhood petsitters.

Longtime resident Jane Bessey says her neighbors are “wonderful with pets.” Jane recently spent two weeks in Maine and says her friend, Betty O'Grady, made sure her cat was “hydrated” while she was gone.

“We all take care of everyone's animals,” she offers with assurance.

Rob Boyles says he depends on a trio of neighborhood buddies who “know tools.” Gary H., Kev O'Grady and Bill Robowski apparently have the “tools, skills and knowledge” to get the job…any job…done. “I couldn't do (anything) without them,” he heartily contends.

The guys routinely offer assistance with most any project requiring tools of most any kind. Bill Robowski carved a series of Halloween panels depicting a witch on a broom for several neighbors. Each panel was attached to a sidewalk tree to look as if witches abounded on broomstick all along the street.

As the party winds down, a pre-winter chill grips the nighttime air and tired neighbors begin to make their excuses to head inside.

But Caroline Nasseri stops first to meet the street's newest resident, Manju Kamboj. It's a touching scene between the two women, all at once encompassing the past, present and future of the close-knit neighborhood.

Surely, those lucky few who live on Via de las Abejas can count on more holiday parties with the streets blocked off (absolutely), power outages (probably), tool projects (likely) plus more generalized silliness.

But residents should not expect any new neighbors for awhile… possibly for a long time.

Maybe Deb O'Grady summed it up best before crossing the street for home. “You can't move out of a neighborhood like this.”

–By Barbara Luis