Coolin' Off at Valley Fair, Big Mall with Strong AC 🧊

The perfect spot to escape the Bay Area's 40-degree heat is Valley Fair Mall! Yes, it's packed, but the mall is cool with lots of parking - so it doesn't feel that crowded. Actually, it's way easier to park here than places like Half Moon Bay or Carmel which can look like a sea of people. Made some stops at a few shops while enjoying the cool: *Eataly! I hope I'm not the last person to check out this place! Luxurious quality with matching prices. Bought shiny Venchi chocolate at $48.90/pound - paid $37.16 for a tiny bag. Delicious but costly! *R&B Tea! Newly opened milk tea shop? Kumquat Green Tea and Hawaiian Fruit Tea, both iced with 50% sugar - sweet and tasty! But service needs work! No attendants taking orders, just two self-service iPads. But one broke down so everyone was waiting on one device. Really got the full "wait for 30 minutes, order for 2 minutes, then wait another 30" experience. The drinks are good, but not worth an hour's wait. *Chicken Wow! A food court staple, their fried chicken was amazing a few years back, was a must-have every visit. Meal deal used to be around $12 for 3 pieces of chicken and 2 sides - great value. But this visit, not as good as before. Chicken wasn't as crispy and the meal deal shot up to nearly $17. Disappointing. *Somi Somi Soft Serve Ice Cream! Regular at their Pleasanton branch, but the Valley Fair branch is too sweet and a bit hard, not quite up to the mark. *Play Live Nation! Popular online gaming cafe among youngsters, $11.99/hr - good way to kill some time. Plus their Pokemon Trading Cards are cheaper than other spots. Just found out there's a bowling alley about to open in the mall, becoming more and more appealing. From the weather forecast, Tuesday's gonna be hotter than Monday so better start planning how to stay cool [Party R emoji]! 🚩 Westfield Valley Fair 2855 Stevensf Creek Blvd, Santa Clara, CA 95050 #ValleyFair #EscapeTheHeat #CoolingOff #ShoppingSpree #FoodieFinds #GamingFun #BowlingExcitement #SantaClara