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The John Steinbeck House at 16250 Greenwood Lane in Monte Sereno, California, was the home of author John Steinbeck from 1936 to 1938. The house was built in 1936, in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains in what was then part of the town of Los Gatos, California, for Steinbeck and his wife, Carol. While living in the house, Steinbeck wrote The Grapes of Wrath and completed Of Mice and Men. The Steinbecks added a guest house to the property after the house's completion; renowned actors, literary agents, and friends of the Steinbecks stayed in the guest house while visiting the couple. In 1938, the Steinbecks left the house, as they felt that its location was no longer as secluded as it had been two years earlier.The John Steinbeck House was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 28, 1989. Unlike Steinbeck's birthplace in Salinas, California, this house is now a private residence home and is closed to the public.

The Montalvo Arts Center is a non-profit center for the arts in Saratoga, California, United States. Open to the public, Montalvo comprises a cultural and arts center, a park, hiking trails and the historic Villa Montalvo, an Italian Mediterranean Revival mansion nestled in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The mansion and estate were constructed from 1912 to 1914 by California statesman and businessman James Duval Phelan. After Phelan's death, the entire estate was donated to California as a park and then a cultural and arts center as it exists today. The arts center maintains the estate in partnership with Santa Clara County. The mansion is a historic landmark, and in 1978 it was awarded inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.

The McCullagh–Jones House is a historic house in Los Gatos, California. It was built prior to 1873, and redesigned in 1931. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Monte Sereno (Spanish for "Serene Mountain") is a city in Santa Clara County, California, United States. The population was 3,479 at the 2020 census. The city is located in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, about 10 miles (16 km) southwest of San Jose, and is bordered by the town of Los Gatos to the north, east, and south, the Santa Cruz Mountains to the southwest, and the city of Saratoga to the northwest. The city is named for the 2,580-foot (790 m) El Sereno Mountain, upon the slopes of which the southern portion of the city is built. The community is entirely residential with no commercial zoning and 99% single-family housing. It is an upscale Silicon Valley bedroom community. Monte Sereno shares the 95030 ZIP code with the town of Los Gatos. Many municipal services are provided under contract by Los Gatos.

El Sereno Open Space Preserve is a park unit of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District located on the peak and slopes of 2580 ft. El Sereno mountain, a peak in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The preserve is located in Santa Clara County, California.

Toyon Lodge is a multi-home property in Saratoga, California, United States. Built in 1910, it was run as a resort and restaurant from the 1930s to 1967 before being converted into residential apartments. It is nestled in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, and it is less than two miles away from Montalvo Arts Center.

West Valley College is a public community college in Saratoga, California. It is part of the California Community College system.

Saratoga Foothill Club, also known as the Foothill Clubhouse, is a historic building located in Saratoga, California. This clubhouse was designed by California architect Julia Morgan in 1915 for the Women's Club of Saratoga. This building is historically significant due to the club's role in shaping Saratoga's civic and cultural life. Moreover, it is known for being designed by Julia Morgan, the first licensed female architect in the state. Established in 1907, the Saratoga Foothill Club stands as the oldest social organization in the city. The Saratoga Foothill Club was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 27, 2005.

Plumed Horse is a restaurant in Saratoga, California, United States. The restaurant serves New American cuisine and has received a Michelin star.

The Warner Hutton House is a historic house in Saratoga, California. It was built in 1896 for Warner Hutton. Hutton was born in New York, and he inherited landholdings from his father, a fruit farmer. The house was acquired by the city of Saratoga in 1987.The house was designed in the Queen Anne architectural style. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since March 17, 2006.

Sacred Heart School in Saratoga, California, USA is a private co-educational Roman Catholic school. The school grades range from pre-school for 4–5 year olds through junior high school (8th grade). The school is attached to Sacred Heart Church which was the first Roman Catholic church in Saratoga. Both the school and church are attached to the Diocese of San Jose. The current principal of Sacred Heart is Thomas Pulchny, a Canadian bagpipe player, and current enrollment is approximately 250 students. The school's colors are red, blue and white and its mascot is the Mustang.

El Rancho Rinconada de los Gatos was a 6,631-acre (26.83 km2) Mexican land grant in present-day Santa Clara County, California made in 1840 by Governor Juan Alvarado to Jose Maria Hernandez and Sebastian Fabian Peralta. Located in the southern San Francisco Bay Area, the grant included present-day Los Gatos and Monte Sereno, along with about a third of Campbell. It also included small sections of present-day San Jose, Saratoga and unincorporated Santa Clara County. Los Gatos Creek flowed through the center of the rancho. The name means "corner of the cats" and is derived from the cougars that are still present in the nearby hills, as well as the "corner" formed by the narrowing gap between El Sereno and El Sombroso mountains.