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Monday, February 28, 2011

Save the Date _ "Blue to the Roots"


Crossroads, Deb Barba

Canvas Ghost Productions is featuring Bay Area Musicians and Artists.

Blue to the Roots is an exploration of the early 20th Century blues movement.

Dig down into the roots of the Blues: Son House, Robert Johnson and Lead Belly are just a few of the artist that shaped that world. Come see the current artists who are shaping our world.

Children are welcome.

March 19th, 2011 7pm - 10pm
March 20th, 2011 Noon - 5pm

Canvas Ghost
992 S. 8th Street
San Jose, CA 95112
http:www.canvasghost.com



New San Jose Pinkberry and a NEW CONTEST!!!

It's no secret that the Santana Row Pinkberry has been insanely successful. It was the very first Pinkberry in Northern California and still has lines wrapping around it at all hours of the day, even when it's freezing cold outside. Swiftly responding to market demand, Pinkberry is opening a second location in San Jose @ 1110 Blossom Hill Road (Pueblo Plaza Shopping Center).

The new South San Jose Pinkberry is having their grand opening party this Thursday, March 3rd, between 6pm and 10pm. Everyone is invited! You may be thinking, what do they have in store for their very first guests?

  • FREE YOGURT 
  • Musical Entertainment
  • Guest DJ appearance by Evan Taubenfeld, singer, songwriter and lead guitarist for Avril Lavigne

To top it off, The San Jose Blog is doing a contest on Tuesday to give away some Pinkberry gift cards! Stay tuned for more details. The format of the contest is still being decided, so make sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter just in case! =)




PINKBERRY OPENS SECOND STORE IN SAN JOSE
More Swirly Goodness Comes to Northern California on March 3

SAN JOSE, Calif (February 28, 2011) – Pinkberry, the number one tart frozen yogurt brand, will open its second San Jose location on March 3, 2011 at 1110 Blossom Hill Road – in the Pueblo Plaza shopping center. The Pinkberry Pueblo Plaza grand opening event will be held on Thursday, March 3. Consumers who stop by anytime from 6:00 p.m. through 10:00 p.m. on Thursday will enjoy free Pinkberry, musical entertainment and a special guest DJ appearance by Evan Taubenfeld, singer, songwriter and lead guitarist for Avril Lavigne.

Pinkberry is premium frozen yogurt made with real non-fat yogurt and nonfat milk that is rBST hormone free. Pinkberry is made with only the highest quality ingredients and is the perfect balance of tangy and sweet, resulting in a refreshing, clean and craveable taste.

The Pueblo Plaza location will be will be serving Pinkberry’s six distinctive flavors: the signature Original flavor, a sweet and tangy yogurt with a refreshing finish; Pomegranate, a bold and tangy flavor made with 100 percent California-grown pure pomegranate juice; Coconut, smooth and subtle, made with real coconut puree for a fresh and cool finish; a rich, indulgent Chocolate; Mango, a fruity and light flavor made with authentic Alphonso mango puree for a soothing finish; and a Featured Flavor that rotates seasonally, such as the recent Blood Orange, paired with succulent blood orange pieces, fresh blood orange purée and a crisp waffle cookie.

Customers can personalize every yogurt experience at Pinkberry with any combination of delicious toppings. At Pinkberry, uncompromising quality is paramount and the toppings bar is no exception. Each topping is selected with the highest quality standards, whether it’s Grade-A fresh fruit that is hand-cut daily in-store, organic gummy bears with no high fructose corn-syrup, all natural honey almond granola, 100% pure Pomegranate juice, or rich, premium Belgian chocolate shavings. Toppings are thoughtfully selected as a unique and delicious complement to the various Pinkberry frozen yogurt flavors.

In addition to frozen yogurt and toppings for immediate consumption, Pinkberry also offers Pinkberry Take Home, which is 25 ounces of Pinkberry, swirled-to-order and packed on ice to ensure your Swirly Goodness will get home safely to your freezer. Pinkberry also offers Fruit Parfaits, Smoothies, and Fresh Fruit Bowls as fresh and satiating choices for any time of day.

The new Pueblo Plaza store incorporates modern furnishings and clean lines into an inviting, lively atmosphere that mirrors Pinkberry store concepts across the country and established in Southern California and New York. San Jose residents are invited to experience its uniquely refreshing combination of tastes, textures and flavors as Pinkberry swirls daily in Pueblo Plaza from 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. on Sunday through Thursday, and 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Local fans who want up-to-the minute news and discount offers should sign up to be a Pinkberry Groupie at www.pinkberry.com/groupie. The brand can also be found on Facebook and at Twitter @pinkberryswirl.

About Pinkberry
Pinkberry reinvented the frozen yogurt category when it launched in West Hollywood, CA, in January 2005. Today it is the most talked about, best tasting, premium frozen yogurt, made with high-quality fresh ingredients. From store design to exceptional customer service to irresistible flavors and toppings, Pinkberry provides a social experience that indulges the senses. Pinkberry’s distinctive flavors are expertly crafted to complement its daily fresh-cut fruit and premium toppings that offer an irresistibly tangy, incomparably clean and refreshing taste. Pinkberry is certified by the National Yogurt Association and carries the Live & Active Cultures Seal. Get a taste of Swirly Goodness by visiting www.pinkberry.com.

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Sunday, February 27, 2011

Features of Fury (Downtown San Jose Pillow Fight) Recap

Jennifer Bullock from San Jose Metblogs has a great recap of the Downtown Pillow Fight over at her personal blog right over here. You can also check out her photostream using this link!

feathers!

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Sharks Sweep Road Trip With Three Wins

The San Jose Sharks mounted a successful road campaign – their second in February – against three strong teams: the Detroit Red Wings (currently 2nd in the West), Pittsburgh Penguins (currently 4th in the East), and the Calgary Flames (currently 7th in the West), returning home with the momentum of a six game win streak. Next Tuesday, March 1st, the Sharks face the Colorado Avalanche at the Shark Tank.

Most impressive about the Sharks’ recent performance has been their overall patience and determination. Each of the three road games resulted in very close contests: the Sharks edged the Red Wings only by one goal at the end of regulation, the Sharks defeated the Penguins with only four seconds left in overtime, and the Sharks needed a shootout win to best the Flames.

Earlier in the season, fans grew accustomed to seeing the Sharks explode in the beginning and opening their lead, before allowing opposing teams to stage their comeback late in the third period. Now, fans have a team to be proud of supporting. The Sharks have since overcome deficits and maintained leads acquired early on. Fans are now witness to the regular season dominating team they've been used to watching.

In addition to the Sharks’ improved efficacy in their team play, the newcomers have all proven to be effective to the lineup as well. Forwards Ben Eager and Kyle Wellwood, in addition to defenseman Ian White, have all significantly contributed to the Sharks’ recent hot streak.

The Sharks have also seen their veteran talent, with the likes of Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, and Dany Heatley, become more productive. Thornton’s second star honors for his performance in Calgary, despite not registering a point, came from his high work ethic: setting up his teammates, maintaining great puck control, and capable back-checking. Had several of his set up teammates been able to score, Thornton would have managed a few pretty assists for the highlight reel.

To briefly recap the Sharks’ 4-3 shootout victory over the Calgary Flames, Dan Boyle was out for the first time all season, Logan Couture increased his already-impressive points streak with the assist on the first goal, and Devin Setoguchi scored yet again. Ryane Clowe also did not fail to disappoint, not only scoring the game tying goal late in the third, but burying the only goal in the shootout, beating Flames goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff, to seal the Sharks’ victory. (This, of course, during a night when Kiprusoff clearly dominated the net, earning himself a well-deserved first star honors.)

As long as the Sharks maintain their visible patience and determination, Sharks fans should be treated to an exciting March home game stretch to watch their team win more games at the Shark Tank.

Based on the recent trades, acquisitions, and line configurations, there is no doubt the San Jose Sharks are taking their past post-season woes seriously.

New SJSU Football Complex and Athletic Upgrades!

It looks like SJSU is getting some much needed improvements to it's athletic facilities. The $16-20M investment will bring several improvements to Spartan Stadium, new practice fields adjacent to the stadium, a new complex for basketball / volleyball / gymnastics, and indoor tennis courts. For more information, click here.



Downtown San Jose Featured in Rap Video

Originating in San Jose, Projekt SEER is an emerging local rap group that heavily features Downtown in their latest video, SELF HOPKINS. Compton better watch out!




Final!

Friday, February 25, 2011

Lacey Bryant Art Show at The Usuals Tonight



New works by Lacey Bryant at The Usuals on Friday, February 25th, 7-10pm.
Music, drinks, cupcakes and new Lacey designed t-shirt release.

The Usuals
1020 The Alameda
San Jose, CA
www.shoptheusuals.com

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Body Worlds Vital has been Extended!


For Immediate Release
February 23, 2011

Change of Heart: BODY WORLDS Vital exhibition to keep beating through April at The Tech Museum
World-premiere blockbuster extended after solid reviews, overflowing crowds

SAN JOSE – BODY WORLDS Vital, which has sold more than 90,000 tickets in the three months since the blockbuster opened its doors to critical review and jam-packed crowds, will have an extended stay at The Tech Museum.

The popular exhibition will now remain in Silicon Valley until April 24, 2011.

The announcement comes just as Americans take stock of their health during February’s American Heart Month. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. In 2010, an estimated 785,000 Americans had their first heart attack. Nearly every 25 seconds, someone in the United States will have a coronary event, and one person every minute will die from one.

The chance of developing coronary heart disease can be reduced by taking steps to prevent and control factors that put people at greater risk. Developed specifically for the American audience to educate people on common diseases and preventive care, BODY WORLDS Vital is a specially curated collection made up of real human body plastinates and a large arrangement of individual organs – including the heart – arterial configurations and translucent slices that give a complete picture of how the human body functions. Using multi-media installations as a backdrop, the exhibit shows the body in disease and distress by comparing healthy bodies to bodies that have succumbed to a host of illnesses and medical conditions.

Physician and Creative and Conceptual Designer of the exhibition, Dr. Angelina Whalley said, “I hope that this exhibition at The Tech Museum will continue to inspire visitors by showing the body’s potential and capacity for change. My husband Gunther von Hagens and I created BODY WORLDS to show that the body is so fragile and vulnerable, and yet so resilient and forgiving.”
BODY WORLDS Vital is the latest chapter in the HUMAN SAGA project - a series of curated museum blockbusters that began with exploration of the brain and neuroscience, cardiology and the heart, human development and longevity and aging. BODY WORLDSexhibitions have been hosted by more than 50 museums and venues in North America, Europe, and Asia – and seen by more than 32 million visitors worldwide.

“This exhibition is perfectly aligned with our mission to give visitors high-quality experiences that educate, inform, provoke thought and inspire action - all in the spirit of Silicon Valley," Peter Friess, president of The Tech Museum, said. "BODY WORLDS Vitalgives visitors greater insights into the complexity of their bodies. But, even more than that, the exhibition challenges visitors to take serious stock of their health, propel them toward fuller, fitter lifestyles and, ultimately, wellness."

New Art at Red Berry Coffee Shop Tomorrow

This would also be a great venue to be added to South First Fridays, really cool coffee shop:

Tim Walker Reception at Red Berry Coffee



Coffee, Tea, and Artistry at Red Berry Coffee Bar: Landscapes by Tim Walker
Artist's Reception: Friday, February 25, 7-9 pm

Join us at the opening celebration of Landscapes by Tim Walker, an exhibition of vibrant images showing the beauty and inherent drama of our country’s natural spaces.

Meet the photographer, Tim Walker, a recent graduate of San Jose State University, currently working for the award winning photographer, Frans Lanting. Fresh baked treats will be provided. Artisan coffees and teas are available to complement the treats and lift your spirits. An easy walk from downtown San Jose, Red Berry Coffee Bar is located directly across from City Hall. Street and covered parking is available.

Red Berry Coffee Bar
231 East Santa Clara Street
San Jose, CA
408.286.0508
www.redberrycoffeebar.com

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Wednesday Wishlist: 2020 World Expo

From the Merc:

THE POTENTIAL ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF BRINGING
the WORLD EXPO 2020
TO SILICON VALLEY

Overall economic activity:
$5.6 billion
San Jose's share (14 percent):
$818 million
Jobs created (minus construction):
42,000
Local and state tax revenues: $440 million
Visitors (over six months):
25 million
Overnight visitors:
8.3 million

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Exciting Game In Detroit Extends Sharks’ Win Streak

The San Jose Sharks come out on top in a hard-fought match against the dynamic Detroit Red Wings team, narrowly winning with the score of 4-3. While the Sharks snapped the Red Wings’ win streak at five, the Sharks extend their win streak to four. Sharks forward Devin Setoguchi, currently on a hot streak with ten goals in his last thirteen games, nets two (after his first ever NHL hat trick last Saturday at the Shark Tank against the Colorado Avalanche), and Sharks captain Joe Thornton scores his 300th career NHL goal. In addition, for the first time in San Jose Sharks franchise history, the Sharks sweep the Red Wings at their home in Detroit.

From the onset, the game was rife with playoff-like tension. Earlier in the season, the Sharks had lost to the Red Wings in San Jose and the Sharks had beaten the Red Wings in Detroit. To add to the already thick tension, the fans in Detroit never forgot their elimination by the Sharks from last year’s 2009-2010 playoffs.

As expected, both teams came out playing strong, knowing each other’s team was an equally difficult opponent.

The first period began scoreless, and even with a four-minute high-sticking penalty followed by a two-minute high-sticking penalty against the Red Wings (both drawn by the Sharks’ Logan Couture), giving the Sharks ample five on three opportunity, the Red Wings still managed to keep the puck out of their net. Much of the Red Wings’ success was due to a combined effort of solid defensive play and the standout saves by netminder Jimmy Howard. With twenty minutes left in the first period, the Red Wings took another penalty, giving the Sharks a power play for the rest of the period. It did not take long for the Sharks to capitalize on their advantage, with Joe Thornton scoring a great goal in front of the net, giving the Sharks a 1-0 edge by the end of the first.

Succeeding the action-filled, relatively scoreless first period revealed a still action-filled, three-goal second period. Just over seven minutes into the second period, the Red Wings’ Daniel Cleary scored on a weird bounce in front of the Sharks’ net to even up the game at 1-1. Later in the second, Sharks forward Ryane Clowe brilliantly blocked a Red Wings defenseman shot to earn a breakaway, beating the Red Wings’ Howard with a backhand to bring the Sharks back up to a one goal lead, at 2-1. Before the Sharks could become comfortable with their lead, the Red Wings’ Daniel Cleary scored again thirty seconds later to even the game at 2-2. Before the second period could end, Devin Setoguchi tipped in a shot from Joe Thornton and Logan Couture to bring the Sharks again to a one goal lead by the time the period came to a close.

No scoring occurred between the two teams during most of the third period, much in part to the brilliant saves by both the Sharks’ Antti Niemi and the Red Wings’ Jimmy Howard. Thirteen minutes into the third period, the puck came to Sharks forward Devin Setoguchi at the point from a nice Joe Thornton pass, who let go a ripping slap shot past Howard to put the Sharks up at a 4-2 lead. After a Dany Heatley interference call late in the third, the Red Wings used their one man advantage to bring the score to 4-3 with a well-placed shot by Red Wings forward Henrik Zetterberg.

The Red Wings team surged late in the third to recover their one goal deficit, even attempting to pull their goaltender to crash the Sharks’ defensive zone with an extra Red Wings player. While the Red Wings almost scored, the Sharks successfully kept their lead until the very end, with the final score of 4-3, in favor of the Sharks.

With their win, the Sharks remain in fourth place in the Western Conference standings, behind the obvious first and second place teams, the Vancouver Canucks and the Detroit Red Wings, respectively, and just one point behind the Phoenix Coyotes, another team on a massive winning surge.

Honorable mentions go to the Sharks defensive line, who have all played strong, hard-nosed hockey and keeping our net safe. Especially with all of the criticism by some fans concerning the Sharks’ lack of defensive prowess, the Sharks have since demonstrated to have some of the league’s best defensive playing in recent times. Additional assist to the Sharks management team for picking up defenseman Ian White, who had previously been playing with the Carolina Hurricanes.

Catch the Sharks TOMORROW night as they take on the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh’s Consol Energy Center! This will be the Sharks’ second game out of their current three game road trip.

San Jose has a Beach?

Here is a little known fun fact that is in good company with "San Jose has a marina?" and "it snows in San Jose?" We have a lake beach in Almaden! I completely forgot about this until I saw the I<3SJ wall on Facebook a couple days ago. For video proof, look no further than a random family video I pulled off of YouTube below.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Last Call for Dishcrawl Tickets!

It looks like this month's Dishcrawl will be even bigger and better than the inaugural event in January! Over 100 food lovers have purchased tickets and NBC's The Feast will be taping for their show. The list of eateries so far:

  • Mezcal (Oaxacan restaurant)
  • Mogo (Amazing Korean BBQ Taco Truck)
  • Treatbot (Karaoke Ice Cream Truck)

They only have a few "latebird" tickets left. For more information, just click here!

Dishcrawl Through The Exotic Side of San Jose

Downtown San Jose Restaurant and Arts Discounts!

At the end of the State of the City Address brochure, I found a nice little coupon. 20 restaurants are offering a $10 dining credit and just about all performing arts groups Downtown are offering 10% off tickets with the coupon below. This certificate is good until April 30th and you can download it by clicking here.

Click image to enlarge

 

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Winchester Mystery House Movie

Could there be a movie in the works starring the Winchester Mystery House? It appears so based on this page: http://www.winchestermysteryhouse.com/themovie.cfm.

According the the link above, the movie is a PG13 supernatural thriller shot in San Jose and Los Angeles. I also found a reference to it in the IMDB with 2012 as the release date. I'll be ecstatic if this comes to fruition!

Winchester Mystery Houseâ„¢ to Star in Hollywood Movie

Friday, February 18, 2011

BART to San Jose is Closer to Breaking Ground

The Federal Transit Administration has given their seal of approval to provide $130m in federal funds to get BART to San Jose. The hope is to get construction started by 2012 and start service in 2018. For more information, click here.

Berryessa Extension Phase 1 Map

Sharks Rally In Third To Beat Powerful Capitals Team

The San Jose Sharks played the Washington Capitals for the second time in two weeks to see the Sharks win again, this time at home, with the final score of 3-2 Sharks.

I admit, it was a little difficult going to a hockey game to watch both my favorite and second favorite teams play. To ensure my San Jose Sharks would get the win, I wore my black Sharks jersey over my red Alexander Ovechkin Washington Capitals shirt to symbolize “the Sharks over the Capitals”. Surely, that became the case after a very hard-fought game in San Jose.

As these two teams possess the two most powerful offensive threats in the NHL, many fans saw this to be a very close game, even considering the Sharks 2-0 win in Washington less than two weeks ago.

Rarely do the east coast teams play the west coast teams in the NHL, and the Capitals playing the Sharks is no exception. The two teams have played eleven times in San Jose since 1993, and the Capitals have lost ten times and tied once since then. With this game, the Capitals had hoped to change their unfortunate historical record in San Jose, especially with their currently strong lineup.

The Sharks, however, maintained their winning streak at home against the Capitals with a close one-goal game.

Both teams emerged powerfully from the onset, trading shots on net, and maintaining similar amounts of puck control. The vivacious crowd could be heard jeering the Capitals’ superstar forward Alexander Ovechkin every time he touched the puck in order to throw him off his game, and in turn, loudly cheering on the Sharks every time they brilliantly handled the puck. Late into the first period, a penalty on Sharks forward Ben Eager set some events in motion. In what had been seen as, quite literally, a game-changing moment, the Capitals fouled up on their power play, allowing Sharks forward Patrick Marleau to pick up the puck and feed it to Joe Pavelski to put the Sharks up 1-0 with a shorthanded goal.

The Capitals, still on their power play, answered right back with a goal by Alex Ovechkin with a well-placed wrist shot from the point to tie the game back at 1-1.

After the first period, the Capitals outshot the Sharks 9-6, although each team had equally close opportunities to score. While the second period remained scoreless and without penalties, the third period would define the final outcome of the game.

During the third period, the Sharks scored twice, once by Ryane Clowe, beautifully set up by newcomer Kyle Wellwood, and the other by Dany Heatley (on a goal that took a while to review as it had been released directly toward the net by Dan Boyle, although the final call had his shot being tipped by Joe Pavelski, Joe Thornton, and Dany Heatley on its way to the net).

Within two minutes left in the game, Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom scored to bring the tally to 3-2 Sharks, although the Capitals failed to strike again before the end of the game.

The crowd cheering with their exuberant support, the Sharks emerged victorious.

Despite the win, keeping the Sharks within place of the Western Conference standings, the playoff race is still incredibly close, and even a simple loss or two could still place the Sharks below the eighth place lower bracket.

Catch the Sharks this Saturday as they play the Colorado Avalanche at the Shark Tank!

Thursday, February 17, 2011

More Veggielution News

Farm Stand re-opens!

Farm10_6_10_0056Veggielution’s affordable Farm Stand is now open every Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm at the main entrance to Emma Prusch Park in East San José. Our prices are set to be affordable—basically people pay what they can afford, and no one goes away empty handed. These are high quality organic veggies fresh from our farm at the park: kale, lettuce, carrots, broccoli, peas, green onions, baby beets, and more.
And, for the first time ever, Veggielution will be selling fresh eggs from our flock of pastured poultry! They will be 6 for $4, a price that reflects the true cost of raising chickens on organic feed and with plenty of space to live like chickens should. Our hens are currently munching away on plants and bugs in a big paddock of dense cover crop and seem very happy. Their yolks are rich and bright yellow, and their shells are thick and multicolored. Get them while they last! And if you’re interested come on back to the farm and visit the chickens. How often do you get a chance to buy eggs and see with your own eyes where they came from?

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Cheese Making with Veggielution Community Farm

Saturday, February 19, 2011, 10 am to 12 pm, in the Meeting Hall at Emma Prusch Park. Visit www.veggielution.org/workshops#cheese, email workshops@veggielution.org or call 408.634.FARM (3276) to register for this workshop. The $15 fee for this workshop covers the cost of the materials we will provide and enables Veggielution to put on free workshops and other programs throughout the year.


Unlock the mysteries of cheese and start making your own at home! It’s easier than you’d think. In this hands-on workshop you will learn how simple kinds of cheese are made, and you’ll even start a fresh batch of mozzarella that you can taste during the class. We’ll explore the many kinds of cheeses that you could make as you learn new recipes in the future, as well as how to get the materials you’ll need to start making your own cheese at home. After we finish the mozzarella and taste it on freshly made pita pizzas, we’ll also taste some delicious goat cheese, which has a flavor uniquely its own. This class is open to anyone age 6 and up, so please sign up your children as well and make it a family experience!



-- 

Cody Kraatz
Veggielution Outreach and Communications Coordinator
mobile 408.218.5738
www.veggielution.org

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Wednesday Wishlist: More International Flights

A couple weeks ago news broke in the San Jose Business Journal that the city council is trying to resurrect flights between SJC and Tokyo. I remember taking that flight many years ago and thinking how awesome it was to have a direct flight to someplace as exotic as Japan (exotic to me, that was my first time in Asia). With so many Silicon Valley companies that are either subsidiaries of Japanese counterparts or that have major operations in Japan, this seems like a no-brainer connection to have.

Each new international flight brings with it increased convenience for consumers and business alike, and adds economic benefit to the local community. These types of connections are also important in increasing our international visibility.

Here are the top countries I think we need direct flights to based on Silicon Valley business relationships and the population distribution of San Jose (Mexico is already nicely covered by SJC):

  • Japan
  • Vietnam
  • London / Ireland
  • India
  • Korea
  • Italy
  • China / Hong Kong
  • France
  • Israel
  • Dubai
  • Russia
  • Portugal

Any others you think should be on the list and why?

 

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Sharks End Road Trip With Dramatic OT Win

The San Jose Sharks end their road trip in Nashville, defeating the Nashville Predators with a score of 2-1, in overtime. Despite some initial troubles against a powerful Predators team, the Sharks ended the game with a Patrick Marleau breakaway goal.

After the San Jose Sharks’ loss to the Florida Panthers on Sunday night, their second regulation loss in a row, the team knew their Tuesday night game against the Nashville Predators would be a vital one. Even Logan Couture and Devin Setoguchi expressed the same message to their fans on their Twitter accounts. Couture wrote that Tuesday night’s game against the Predators would be the “biggest game of the year” since the Sharks “need the points badly right now”. Before the game, the Sharks sat in seventh place in a very close Western Conference playoff race.

Despite what was at stake at the game’s beginning, the Sharks executed a very poor performance during the first period, failing to convert for two power plays (including a thirty second five on three), and allowing the Predators’ Cody Franson to sneak a puck past Sharks goaltender Antti Niemi during their only power play to make the score 0-1 Predators by the end of the first period.

By the time the second period began, the Sharks displayed signs of increased vitality, keeping control of the puck and putting more pressure on the Predators’ defensive line. The Predators also put up a tough front, although it was Sharks forward Devin Setoguchi with his amazing wrist shot that ended the Predators’ lead, putting the score at a 1-1 tie. Setoguchi’s shot was a certified snipe, barely beating the Predators’ Pekka Rinne, top shelf in the net. (Setoguchi went on to put a an unbelievable ten total shots on net.)

Certainly, the Predators were ready for the Sharks, although as the game continued to the third period, the Sharks gained the edge with significantly more puck control, peppering the standout Rinne with many shots on net. There was no scoring in the third period, mostly due to the netminders on both sides: Rinne of the Predators and Niemi of the Sharks. At the end of the third, the shots were 45-31 in the Sharks’ favor.

From the get-go of the overtime period until the very end, the Sharks completely dominated puck control, opportunities, shots on net (all five of them), and takeaways. Although Predators netminder Pekka Rinne kept his team alive for the last part of the game, he would eventually fold as a Patrick Marleau breakaway put him in a vulnerable position, with Marleau scoring through Rinne’s five hole to win the game.

Although Marleau, Niemi, and Setoguchi were undoubtedly the three heroes of the game, honorable mention goes to a great number of players on the team who may or may not have made it on the scoresheet:

- Defenseman Kent Huskins notched two assists and was largely responsible for moving the puck to Patrick Marleau for his breakaway (and overtime game winning goal).
- Joe Pavelski displayed excellent back checking and puck control, even putting a respectable seven shots on net.
- Logan Couture shone as well, putting four shots on net and creating several scoring opportunities.
- Niclas Wallin held his point phenomenally, sometimes pinching in, Boyle-esque, and putting the puck on net.
- Captain Joe Thornton contributed to the dominant puck control late in the second and the third and overtime periods.
- Douglas Murray saved goals by converting the puck, blocking several critical Predator shots (that would have been goals), and breaking out the puck very well from the defensive zone.

The Sharks end their road trip with a respectable five wins, two losses, as they head back to San Jose, ready to feel the support of the Shark Tank, while they face off in a rematch against the Washington Capitals on Thursday night.

Downtown San Jose Restaurant List Updates!

I have added most of the missing restaurants on Santa Clara between 4th and 11th Street. If you can think of any other restaurants that were left out in this area, please let me know in the comments and I'll add them. This region boasts several restaurants with 4 star yelp reviews and a Vietnamese place open until 3am on the weekend.

Also added are a few more restaurants on the east side of SJSU. Unfortunately, I discovered yet another Subway here :/. I knocked it off my list today, but I think I'm going to lose it if I have to eat another footlong ever again. So far I've eaten at 157 restaurants on the list, only ~40 more to go! 

If you haven't bookmarked it yet, here's the link to the spreadsheet! There is also a permanent link over to the right entitled Downtown San Jose Restaurants.


Monday, February 14, 2011

Happy Valentine's Day San Jose!



For last minute dining ideas try OpenTable. It looks like they still have many places available.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

New Stores Coming to Santana Row

In the latest San Jose Business Journal, 4 new Santana Row stores and one expansion were revealed:


  • Electric Car Showroom
  • 1,900 sqft
  • Between BCBG Max Azria and Franco Uomo

  • Furniture Retailer
  • 3,610 sqft
  • Next to The Container Store

  • Gourmet Grocery Store
  • 3,900 sqft
  • Next to Lavande Nail Spa

  • Women's Apparel Store
  • 2,000 sqft
  • Between Brooks Brothers and Straits

  • Expanding from 675 sqft to 1,344 sqft


Saturday, February 12, 2011

Workshop Argentina: with Chiachio & Giannone

from Phantom Galleries 



San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles presents:
Workshop Argentina: 
with Chiachio & Giannone
February 12, 10am - 5pm and February 13, 10am - 12 Noon

Exhibit: February 8 – May 1, 2011
Eden Re-imagined
Presents the embroidered work of Chiachio and Giannone and is the first time the two artists will have a solo exhibition outside of their native country of Argentina. An opening reception, free with admission, will be held on Feb. 13, 2-4pm.

Sign Up Now! Workshop Argentina: with Chiachio and Giannone
Using the museum’s collection of historical and contemporary textile art as reference and inspiration, our two featured Argentinean artists will lead a workshop exploring new avenues of surface embellishment, design and content.

Fee $120; members $100. Does not include materials. Space is limited; advance registration is required. Register by phone at 408.971.0323 x14 or register online:http://sjquiltmuseum.org/calendar.html.
Materials supplied by students: pencils, crayons, markers, large paper, fabrics, miscellaneous threads, yarns, needles, scissors, glue and other materials that students may wish to incorporate into their projects.

San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles
520 South First Street, San Jose, CA 95113
408.971.0323 www.SJQuiltMuseum.org

Friday, February 11, 2011

Sharks Fall to Devils, Win Streak Snapped At Five

The San Jose Sharks continued their lengthy road trip in Newark, New Jersey, where they faced off against the New Jersey Devils, a team that endured many early season woes, but have since compiled an impressive 11-1-2 record over the last fourteen games. The Devils’ effort still placed them near the bottom of the Eastern Conference, still making it nothing short of a miracle to place them in a comfortable playoff position. The spread between the Devils and the Hurricanes, occupants of the eighth place position in the Eastern Conference, still remained in double digits.

For the Devils, in the place of their injured goaltender Martin Brodeur, was Johan Hedberg, and still noticeably missing from the lineup was forward Zach Parise, out with a knee injury for approximately another month. As for the Sharks, the roster remained unchanged since their last game against the Colombus Blue Jackets.

Although both teams stayed off the scoresheet in both goals and penalties for the first period, the Sharks outshot the Devils 12-2. As far as puck control, the Sharks dominated, effectively shutting down all of the Devils’ offensive threats. Fortunately for the Devils, Hedberg stood very tall in net, preventing large rebounds, and cutting off the shot angles for the Sharks’ opportunities.

The second period, although still remaining scoreless, proved to be a much more exciting hockey game. Although the Sharks again had more shots on net, at a 12-9 advantage (bringing the shot total to 24-11), each team executed crafty zone entries and net crashes, almost scoring. Had it not been for the stand up plays from the two netminders, the Devils’ Johan Hedberg and the Sharks’ Antti Niemi, the score would not have been 0-0 after the second period. Both teams’ defensemen also stepped up, in particular the Sharks’ Douglas Murray, who placed a nice highlight reel worthy hit on the Devils’ Tim Sestito. Nearing the end of the second period, the Devils’ Brian Rolston interfered the Sharks’ Devin Setoguchi from back checking, sending him to the box for two minutes.

The Sharks began the third period with a 43 second power play, although they failed to score. Just over six minutes in, Patrick Marleau positioned himself well in front of the net and scored his 21st of the year, finally breaking the 0-0 tie and giving the Sharks the one goal advantage. Not long afterward, the Sharks gained another power play, although it was short-lived as just over twenty seconds later, Joe Thornton received a hooking penalty call, evening the players on the ice. Forty seconds later, Logan Couture managed to get a tripping call in front of Niemi, giving the Devils the one-man advantage.

It did not take long for the Devils to capitalize on their 4 on 3 advantage. Forward Ilya Kovalchuk set teammate Brian Rolston up for a nice one-timer shot in the slot, and it was enough to beat Niemi, bringing the score to 1-1. The score remained 1-1 until just over four minutes left, when Devils forward Ilya Kovalchuk took charge of a Devils faceoff win and snapped a wrist shot through Niemi’s five hole to increase the lead to 1-2. Kovalchuk’s shot barely squeezed by an unscreened Niemi, who up until that point, had been playing a solid game.

Although the Sharks made a valiant effort to come back into the game, a Torrey Mitchell high-sticking call that qualified for the four minute double minor status with less than three minutes in the game proved to be the nail in the coffin, as the Sharks failed to equalize, leaving the final score 1-2 Devils.

The Sharks may have lost the game, however it felt great to, in a way, dispel the many inflammatory remarks from Sharks critics and fans alike criticizing the Sharks’ defensive lines. Based on their play the last several games, the Sharks defensive lines have played phenomenally, not allowing opposing team forwards to get a clear shot on net, keeping Niemi from getting screened, and carefully pinching in to assist the forwards in the offensive zone.

Puck control had been firmly in the Sharks’ favor, however without quality shots on net, only one of their 32 shots was enough to beat Hedberg. With quality time spent on improving the Sharks’ offense, their threat to other teams would only increase.

Catch the Sharks on Sunday the 13th as they take on the Florida Panthers at 2:00pm Pacific.

Family Room, John Meeks, Will Sprott at A.D. this Saturday

from Phantom Galleries 



Live music event at Anno Domini this Saturday, February 12th, 9pm sharp!

9pm- Will Sprott
Songwriter & singer of the Mumlers, Will Sprott's great uncle was a paranormal expert who named the Bermuda Triangle. Without the honking, undulating mayhem of his band, the basic elements of words, vocal warble & vibrating guitar strings are more easily heard.
"Sprott is a writer's writer, turning glorious phrases and crafting storylines that employ classic sentiments and themes but tackle them with a unique touch that feels ancient and natural, as if he's got a playbook full of secret audibles that can be claimed for his own." —Sean Moeller, Daytrotter
www.themumlers.com
www.myspace.com/themumlers

10pm- John Meeks
"Backed by members of the Album Leaf and Black Heart Procession, John Meeks alternates between sighing fiddle-filled bar-room waltzes and horse-clomp-driven rave-ups. Even when they pick up the pace, Meeks' songs still feel fragile and shaken, his voice thick with I-can't-believe-I-got-screwed-over-again anguish. The arrangements are lived-in and sparse, all the better to highlight Meeks' lovely, man-out-of-time croon, which achieves Buddy Holly-like levels of wounded innocence." —Michael Tedder, CMJ
www.myspace.com/johnmeeksmusic

11pm- Family Room
Evan Jewett, of the San Jose band Worker Bee, abandons the post-punk trappings of Worker Bee in favor of atmospheric country dirges in Family Room. His live band is an ever-shifting cast of friends.
www.myspace.com/evanjewett

Anno Domini
366 South First Street
Downtown San Jose
408-271-5155
www.galleryAD.com

Thursday, February 10, 2011

San Jose Pillow Fight on Feb 13th?

Wow, I didn't see this one coming. Downtown already has Zombie crawls, Santa-go-rounds, and all sorts of random madness when ZER01 comes around. However, this one surprised even me... a Downtown San Jose Pillow Fight!

It all goes down the day before Valentine's Day (2/13) at noon. For information continue scrolling down or head over to the organizers' blog at: http://pillowfightsj.blogspot.com/

 



The Rules

The sacred commandments of Feathers of Fury are as follows ...

1. Tell everyone about the Pillow Fight.

2. Wait until the whistle/airhorn signal to begin.

3. Smile.
4. Soft pillows only!
 No buckwheat or special surprises hidden in your pillow.
5. NEVER swing at people without pillows or with cameras.

6. Tell EVERYONE about the Pillow Fight.

7. Remove glasses beforehand!
8. Don't hit people with a pillow unless they want it.

9. Swing lightly, many people will be swinging at once.

10. This is not a little kids event.

11. If you don't like it ... just walk across the street.

12. SMILE and TELL EVERYONE ABOUT THE PILLOW FIGHT!


How long will it last?
No one knows. Well, it'll start at noon, but believe me when I say swinging a pillow can take a lot out of you and so can a a few goosedown thwaps to the face. So really San Jose, that all depends on you.

Will it get out of hand?
Probably not, but that all depends on you. This is our event. When I say OUR I mean the beautiful playful citizens of the 10th largest city in the United States. If you coming to PLAY ... then tell all your friends and share the same vibe with them. If you are coming to FIGHT ... then simply you are coming for the wrong reason. We have good faith that San Jose's GOT THIS!

Where will it be held?
All that we can tell you today is that it'll be held Downtown San Jose. More information about the event will be released here and on our Twiiter the day before. Parking is a pain. If you can walk, take the VTA, or even ride a bike. Some of our friends from the Eastside of San Jose have setup up a bike ride that you can join.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Sharks Continue Winning Streak After Hockey Night In Columbus

For their fourth game of a seven-game road trip, the San Jose Sharks traveled to Columbus, Ohio for their second game in two nights after a dramatic 2-0 win over the talented Washington Capitals team to face the Columbus Blue Jackets. While the Sharks currently have a solid place in the Western Conference playoff standings, the Blue Jackets had much to fight for, giving them more of an incentive to earn a two-point win against the Sharks.

Determined to maintain their fiery winning streak and perhaps add another shutout in their favor, the Sharks entered the first period playing fast-paced hockey, although the Blue Jackets proved to be a more dominant force. Unleashing over twice the number of shots on net as the Sharks and two power play goals by the end of the first period (in contrast to the Sharks remaining scoreless), it was evident the Sharks would have to surmount a surging comeback to get back into the game.

Rejuvenated and determined to come back after the disappointing first period, the Sharks opened up with a fiery offense, demonstrating a clear dominance, maintaining much better puck control, winning corner battles, and setting up teammates for scoring. Blue Jackets’ netminder Chris Mason stayed strong through all of the shots, including a back door setup to Dany Heatley. Still even strength, Sharks defenseman Kent Huskins nonchalantly let go a wrist shot at the net, and with careful screening by Heatley, the puck rolled into the back of the net, granting him his first goal of the year.

A beautiful clear by the Sharks in the middle of the second period gave Joe Thornton a breakaway, but the quick Mason quickly put him down. After the stoppage in play, a retaliation penalty on Sharks forward Devin Setoguchi by Blue Jackets forward Antoine Vermette gave the Sharks another power play. Although the Sharks managed to hold on to the puck for the entirety of the power play, Mason managed to stay strong in net, keeping all shots out. The Blue Jackets, up until that point, had kept the Sharks scoreless in three power plays, due to the play by Mason in net.

Mason, however, would not be entirely impenetrable, especially with the Sharks’ powerful onslaught of offense that emerged from the beginning of the second period. Sharks’ forward Kyle Wellwood, a new acquisition from January (along with Ben Eager), buried the puck late in the second to bring the score even at 2-2. Wellwood, a hard-working forward with a playing style similar to Sharks’ fan favorite Scott Nichol, had worked tremendously hard all period, giving his goal that much more of an accomplishment.

The score remained 2-2 through the end of the second period, with the Sharks leading in shots on net 26-25.

The third period emerged with solid play by both teams, with the Sharks at a slight edge on puck control, although the Blue Jackets had more shots on net. Adding on to the Sharks’ puck control, Sharks’ forward Devin Setoguchi had a couple great chances, although it was Patrick Marleau’s wonderfully executed shot from the left side of goaltender Chris Mason that gave the Sharks their 3-2 lead, which would end up being the game winning goal.

The Sharks have thus far won all four of their road games, extending their winning streak to five, and the team travels to Newark, New Jersey tonight to prepare for their Friday evening game against the New Jersey Devils.

Honorable mention to Antti Niemi, the well-deserved first star of the game, who definitely "stood on his head" for the full sixty minutes. In addition, would like to mention Niclas Wallin, who displayed some impressive offensive skills when driving the puck to the net, almost scoring.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Sharks Top Capitals In Fierce D.C. Battle

With three periods of fierce hockey coming to a close, the San Jose Sharks emerged victorious with a score of 2-0. Logan Couture scored again with his 24th of the season, and Sharks netminder Antti Niemi earned his second shutout in a row (after the Sharks’ 2-0 win in Boston last Saturday).

Coming into the game, fans and players alike knew this would be a hard-fought game, as the statistics showed the San Jose Sharks and the Washington Capitals almost dead even in each of their respective conference standings. Both the Sharks and Capitals are each well known for their offensive prowess, and facing each other would prove to be a significant test for each of the teams’ defensive lines.

The Capitals started their lineup with the young Michal Neuvirth in net and played without their star defender, Mike Green, after he had been hit to the side of the face with a wayward puck from a Brooks Orpik shot from their game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The first two periods of the game, based on the scoresheet, were fairly uneventful. By the time the second period was over, the two teams remained scoreless, with only two minor penalties in the contest up to that point. As the scoreless streak continued, both teams played defensively well, until rookie Logan Couture broke the tie with eight minutes left in the third after receiving a beautiful board pass from Ben Eager, gently shooting the puck through Capitals netminder Neuvirth’s five hole. Only two short minutes later, defender Dan Boyle pinched in to one time a Heatley pass over Neuvirth’s shoulder to increase the score to 2-0.

From Boyle’s goal until the end of the game, the Capitals emerged with a strong offensive push, even pulling Neuvirth with two minutes to go while on a power play, giving the Capitals a 6-4 advantage. With the advantage, the Capitals failed to capitalize, even with powerful sniper Alex Ovechkin sending quick shots to the net, only coming short to Niemi’s quickness. The Capitals had many close opportunities, giving the local Caps fans the hope they would come back.

Both goaltenders were the highlight of the game, with Niemi making unbelievable kick saves and absorbing rebounds and Neuvirth making similarly wonderful saves. Although Niemi ended with a well-deserved shutout, Neuvirth still emerged with a respectable .944 save percentage.

Despite the outcome, the Sharks face the Capitals again next Thursday, the 17th, at the Shark Tank for a rematch. (As both a Sharks and Ovechkin fan, I will definitely be there.)

Catch the Sharks tomorrow at 4pm as they face the Columbus Blue Jackets, who themselves just came off of a victorious 4-1 game versus the Pittsburgh Penguins.