The Del Monte Avenue Neighborhood Block Party lit up on Sunday evening, Aug. 10, as 136 residents from Carmel Avenue, Carmel Court, Del Monte Avenue, Paso Robles Avenue, West Portola Avenue and Pleasant Way gathered for a summer celebration.
Hosted by Robin and Paul Bantz along with the Kanyal, Koch and Ramasamy families, the party featured a lively potluck, outdoor games and visits from the Los Altos Police and Santa Clara County Fire Department.
One of the highlights was a display of historical maps, vintage photographs and neighborhood stories, researched by Robin Bantz and beautifully assembled by neighbors Barbie Koch and Paul Bantz. The collection included artwork by Birgit and Stefan Calhoun and Annie Knapp Fitz, pairing visual history with local narratives.
The evening brought many charming moments: two pet chickens mingling with guests, a child cruising in a Radio Flyer Star Wars Landspeeder and neighbors enjoying Jenga, badminton, foosball and ring cone toss. To close the event, Koch shared hollyhock seeds from her garden so neighbors could plant a piece of the block party at home.
