Downtown San Jose Farmers' Market Kicks off Tomorrow

Every Wednesday from 9 am to 1:30 pm, the Downtown San Jose Farmers’ Market transforms the city’s heart with fresh, local vibes. This certified gem offers a colorful array of produce, artisanal goodies, and tasty bites—perfect for a midweek pick-me-up. Expect farm-fresh fruits, veggies, handmade crafts, and food truck delights, all brought to you by passionate local vendors.

It all starts tomorrow, April 23rd at the Hammer Theatre Plaza (Paseo de San Antonio between 2nd and 3rd Streets). You can enjoy 90 minutes of free parking at the ParkSJ garage with entrances located on both 2nd and 3rd Streets. While you're in the area you might as well pick up a $2 burger from locally-owned Campus Burgers as well.

Opening Day Vendor List

• Farmers
• Nuno Family Farm – Conventional veggies
• Castellanos Farm – Conventional fruits
• Bay Fresh – Strawberries
• Ken’s Top Notch – Organic fruits
• ALD&Y – Organic veggies
• EcoGrow Hub – Hydroponic microgreens
• Packaged Food
• California Bakeshop – Artisanal bakery, cookies, empanadas
• Brother’s Products S.F. – Hummus, yogurt
• Hurno – Specialty pastries
• Mango Blossom Apiary – Honey
• Hot Food
• Thai Street Food – Chicken satay, papaya salad, thai teas, more
• Dumpling King – dumplings
• Chiken’s Tamales – Tamales, vegan empanadas
• Coming Soon!
• Fox Tale Fermentation Project
• Valley Toffee

Eos & Nyx - the new king of Downtown San Jose restaurants

The bar has just been raised for fine dining in Downtown San Jose. Eos & Nyx is an upscale Mediterranean restaurant in the Paseo building at 201 S. Second Street. The restaurant spans two stunning floors in a 4,000 SQFT space filled with unique furniture, Instagram-worthy decorations, and an open kitchen. There is also a large outdoor dining area on the paseo itself.

This restaurant is brought to you by the same team as Miniboss, Paper Plane, Still OG, and Alter Ego. However, it is less bar and more restaurant than their previous ventures. Don't worry though, it still has all of the amazing craft cocktails you would expect from this team and they are severed across two different bars connected with a pully system. It's really cool to see the bottles move from bar to bar, which you can even see outside from the street.

This was the restaurant I was most eagerly anticipating throughout 2024. I wanted to visit earlier, but couldn't get a reservation =). I booked way in advance to visit on my birthday in mid January, with a nearly two-year old toddler in tow. The only time slot I was able to get on a cold Wednesday was late in the evening. It's a very popular restaurant.

After I got over the wow-factor of the space, my first impression was not great. Despite having a reservation (and it being a birthday), we still had to wait 30 minutes and we were getting dangerously close to our daughter's bedtime. There is not an ideal waiting area for the restaurant if it's cold outside. Usually it would be the bar, but that's a challenge with a kid. Speaking of which, the vibe did not seem ideal for kids, especially for dinner. I was getting a little apprehensive. Did we make a mistake?

No, we didn't. After being seated we were able to get the food expedited and everyone was extremely friendly and apologetic for the wait. There was a high-chair for our daughter, and despite it being a little loud she loved hanging out and munching on multiple courses as much as we did. Also, there was a beautiful birthday card on the table with a drawing of the restaurant and it was signed by the staff.

The food was exceptional from start to finish. It started with an amuse bouche of beef tartar and caviar in a mini waffle cone. My mom who doesn't eat any raw fish or meat loved it (we didn't have the heart to tell her what it was).

For appetizers we had the "everything" carrots (carrots many different ways, including fennel, truffle, and hazelnuts), raw seafood (hamachi for the night and it was spectacular), bruschetta, and the dip trio (cacik, baba ghanoush, ataramas, and pita). I would recommend all of it. Next time we'll try the octopus which looked really good.

We tried a variety of cocktails. I wanted to go for items that we could not easily get anywhere else. So we tried "Licensed to Dill" which featured Greek yogurt, apricot eau de vie, aquavit, dill, and lime. It was really interesting and was perfect for Mediterranean appetizers. We also tried a "Crimson & Clover" with gin, strawberry, lychee, basil, lemon, and honey as well as a "Smooth Operator" with rye, blackberry, vanilla, and bitters. Honestly you can't go wrong with anything on their bar menu, that is their wheelhouse.

After the apps came a palate cleanser, a thoughtful second comp that everyone eating dinner gets to enjoy. Then were all the main courses. We got pappardelle duck pasta, tagliatelle lobster pasta with beurre blanc sauce, the house burger (with harissa, eggplant, and piquillo), and a half chicken. Again, everything was excellent. The biggest surprise was that the burger was my favorite course. I love a good burger and this might have been my favorite of all time Downtown.

Dessert was Loukoumades, followed by bite-sized chocolates that came with the artfully presented bill. We were also delighted that the appetizers were comped to apologize for the wait. Great customer service and that gesture ensured we will be back many times in the future.

In conclusion, it was worth the wait... both for the restaurant to open in San Jose and on the day of my birthday meal. It's the new ultimate date-night restaurant for Downtown San Jose and has Michelin Guide written all over it. Just make a reservation way in advance and give yourself plenty of time to enjoy this amazing restaurant!

Village Oaks Yogurtland Hosts Fundraiser for Avon39 Walk To End Breast Cancer

Appropriately timed for Mother's Day, a South San Jose Yogurtland is participating in the Walk to End Breast Cancer. Their participation runs from tomorrow to June 15th and they are hoping to raise more than $1,000 for the cause. You can visit this location at 5638 Cottle Road.

(SAN JOSE, CA) May 8, 2017— From May 15 – June 15, San Jose yogurt lovers can treat themselves to the flavors they love and give back to a worthy cause.  For the second year, the Village Oaks Yogurtland, located at 5638 Cottle Road in San Jose, is collecting donations in a month long fundraiser for the Avon39 Walk to End Breast Cancer.

After guests finish creating their yogurt masterpieces, they can also choose to donate to the Avon39 Walk to End Breast Cancer at check out. Those who donate will be asked to write their names on a pink ribbon, which will be put on display until the completion of the fundraiser.

"Breast cancer hits close to home for many, even me. I'm proud to support the Avon39 Walk because it has helped women like my childhood friend," said Jen Borbert, storeowner of the Village Oaks Yogurtland. "The support we received last year was overwhelming. This year, I know our Yogurtland family can make an even greater impact on this worthy cause."

Last year, the Village Oaks Yogurtland raised nearly $1,000 for the Avon39 Walk to End Breast Cancer thanks to the gracious donations of its visitors. With the help and support of its yogurt lovers, the Village Oaks location hopes to raise more this year.

About Yogurtland
Yogurtland’s flavorologists are continually seeking craveable flavors that keep fans loving their experience. Yogurtland owns its own dairy and by controlling the frozen yogurt making process, the company can deliver the highest quality flavors, setting new standards for millions of fans.

All of Yogurtland’s flavors meet the National Yogurt Association Criteria for “live and active culture frozen yogurt” and are produced in a kosher-certified facility. Yogurtland features non-fat and low-fat yogurt flavors as well as non-dairy and no sugar added choices while using milk that does not contain antibiotics or added hormones. Fruit flavors are fortified with Vitamin C for an extra boost.

Presently Yogurtland has more than 320 locations across the U.S., Australia, Guam, Singapore, Thailand, Venezuela and Dubai. Flavors are always subject to creative change and popular demand. For more information, visit http://www.yogurt-land.com or http://www.facebook.com/yogurtland.

Menchie's Frozen Yogurt Opened First Airport Location at SJC

Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt has opened its first ever airport location at San Jose International Airport (SJC). They are known for a wide variety of rotating flavors and toppings. It is a self-service yogurt shop where you can load up on as many different kinds of yogurt and toppings as you'd like and then pay based on the weight at the end. Their Bay Area locations seem to be well reviewed on Yelp, and I'm pretty happy about finally having a Yogurt shop at SJC.

Menchie's is located in Terminal B near Gate 19 and will be open daily from 5:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. If you are not travelling any time soon, there is also another location in San Jose at Oakridge mall.

New Milkshake Bar Downtown

Downtown San Jose has just gotten a new type of dessert place that I haven't seen anywhere else--a custom milkshake bar. You start off by selecting the flavor of ice cream and either normal milk or almond milk, and then things get interesting. You can infuse a wide assortment of chocolates, fruits, and candy into your milkshake.

My Milkshake opened up mid-December and it already has a four star rating on Yelp. You can find it at 151 S. 2nd St., in what used to be an Icebee Yogurt shop. While I love frozen yogurt, we had 6 different froyo places Downtown and I'm happy to see entrepreneurs trying something new. Looking forward to trying this place out!

For more info, check out their Facebook Page over here.

Hat tip to Alex Shoor for sending this in!

July 2012 Downtown Dimension Highlights

Here are my notes from the latest edition of Downtown Dimension:

• Property owners Downtown have overwhelmingly voted to continue Groundwerx cleaning, ambassador, and beautification program for another 10 years. 91.4% of owners voted to continue and expand the program! [Groundwerx has the highest return on investment of any Downtown program I can rememberfdsa
• Sunday, Dec. 9th will be the first Silicon Valley Santa 5K run. It will start in the late afternoon so that participants can end their race among all the Christmas lights Downtown.
• The SJDA is launching "HER city" which will offer after-work events catered specifically for women Downtown (www.sjdowntown.com/hercity)
• The Aug. 3 and Sep 7 South First Fridays will feature an urban faire to go along with the art walk.
• A joint SJDA and 1stACT Silicon Valley "Small Wonders Fund" will provide seed money for up to 18 new Downtown activation ideas between June 2012 and June 2013.
• Cre Paris is now open at the San Pedro Square Market.
• Cafe Bon Terre (formerly Whipps) will continue to server frozen yogurt but has also added crepes to the menu.
• Zenon's Place is now open at 167 E. San Fernando and will serve Peruvian and Mexican Dishes.
• Dosa & Curry Cafe is now open at 345 S. Fourth St.
• Third and Fourth streets are being repainted with "buffered" bike lanes. Almaden, Grant, 10th St., and 11th St will be getting new bike lanes as well.
• San Fernando St. will be getting a green-painted bike lane.
• A Bike Share program featuring 15 stations and 150-200 bikes will be kicking off this fall!
• For the second year, Downtown San Jose will receive a $600,000 grant from ArtPlace. This year it will support the "Illuminating Downtown" program which will feature futuristic artistic lighting throughout Downtown [sweet!]
• Violent Crime Stats - Violent Crimes Per 1000 Residents:
• Oakland - 16.83
• Sacramaento - 7.11
• San Francisco - 6.59
• Los Angeles - 5.22
• San Jose - 3.35

To read the full newsletter, click here!

Santana Row July 2012 Happenings

Events, Promotions, New Openings at Silicon Valleyʼs Premier Destination

San Jose, CA (June 19, 2012) - Summer is in full swing at Santana Row with music, shopping specials, stimulating activities for children and a festive way to wile away the day before fireworks begin on the 4th of July. Slated for July: Flavors of Jazz, July 4th Summer Block Party, Mommy & Me, Opera San Jose on Bastille Day and the opening of kate spade new york.

Flavors of Jazz, every Tuesday, July 3-August 28
The popular Flavors of Jazz series returns in July for a fifth season of cool music and tasty
international cuisine. On Tuesday evenings in July and August, Santana Row restaurants will
host free live performances by local jazz musicians on their outdoor patios. The series includes
a wide range of styles, from traditional and contemporary jazz to funk and Brazilian beats.

July 3: Kristen Strom Trio, contemporary jazz/saxophone, Thea Mediterranean Cuisine
The Sandra Aran Duo, staight ahead/jazz vocals, Left Bank Brasserie
July 10: Primary Colors, jazz and blues vocals, Village California Bistro and Yankee Pier
July 17: Brian Ho Duo, funky jazz, B3 Organ, The Counter; Rick Vandivier Duo, modern and
Latin jazz/guitar, El Jardin Tequila Bar
July 24: Amy Dabalos Trio, straight ahead jazz/vocals, LB Steak; Pamela Rose B-3 Organ Trio,
straight ahead jazz/vocals, Hot Tamales
July 31: Anton Schwartz Trio, straight ahead jazz/saxophone, Rosie McCannʼs Irish Pub &
Restaurant; Gus Kambeitz Duo, straight ahead jazz/keys, Left Bank Brasserie
August 7: Wally Schnalle 4tet, jazz fusion/drums, Village California Bistro and Yankee Pier
August 14: Hristo Vitchev Trio, modern jazz/guitar, Thea Mediterranean Cuisine; Mads Tolling,
straight ahead jazz/violin, Vintage Wine Bar
August 21: Jessica Johnson Band, jazz and R&B/vocals, Cielo Wine Bar, Hotel Valencia;
Ed Johnson Duo, Brazilian jazz and guitar/vocals, El Jardin Tequila Bar
August 28: Mark Arroyo Trio, jazz fusion/guitar, Hot Tamales; Laila Smith Trio, straight ahead
jazz/vocals, LB Steak

When: Tuesday evenings, 7 to 9 p.m., July 3-August 28 on the patio of the various restaurants.
The performances are free.

Celebrating the Fourth of July with a Summer Block Party, Sidewalk Sales and
Tasty Samples, July 4
Santana Row invites the public to celebrate Independence Day with a Summer Block Party that
includes food, fashion and fun.

Stroll The Row and check out the Fourth of July events which include an outdoor barbeque in
Park Valencia cooked up by The Counter, samples of yummy refreshments offered by the
restaurants and a day-long sidewalk sale featuring hundreds of rolling racks with sale
merchandise from The Blue Jeans Bar, Ted Baker, Cole Haan, Free People, Flying Lizard
Designs, BCBG Max Azria, Spazio, Pink Stripes, Urban Outfitters and more. Shoppers can
browse the sidewalk sale racks or venture into the stores for more discounts, food, beverage
and beauty product samples and special treats such as complimentary mini touch-ups at Wʼs
Salon, mimosas at Flying Lizard and wine tasting at St. Croix.

When: The festivities will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, July 4. The Counterʼs
barbeque is offered from noon to 5 p.m. in the park where diners can enjoy their $2 mini burgers
(beef or vegetarian) while listening to live music.

Mommy & Me on the Row, Into the Wild, July 10
Mommy & Me in July goes to the birds with The Happy Birds, amazing performances by friendly,
colorful parrots, The Container Store gift card drawing, Peetʼs Coffee & Tea raffle, balloon
animals, face painting and more. Treat little ones to a mini manicure at Lavande Nail Spa,
sample frozen yogurt from Pinkberry and complimentary beverages and fruit snacks at The
Blues Jean Bar. A live performance by Andy Z begins the morning, delighting kids and kids-atheart
with his musical adventures. Dress in favorite animal costumes for the Childrenʼs
Discovery Museum “Wild Animal” games.

When: 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, July 10 at Park Valencia. Mommy & Me is a free kidsʼ club
held on the second Tuesday of every month from May through December. For more information,
call 408.551.4611 or visit www.SantanaRow.com.

Opera San Jose and Bastille Day, July 14
Opera San Jose performs a spectacular al fresco concert of French arias and ensembles to
celebrate Bastille Day. The company will present selections from Bizetʼs Carmen and The Pearl
Fishers, which opens Opera San Joseʼs new season in September. Also on the schedule is

Gounodʼs Faust, Straussʼ Die Fledermaus, Verdiʼs Il trovatore and Pucciniʼs Suor Angelica and
Gianni Schicchi.

Principal artists from the 2012-13 season resident ensemble: Melody King (soprano), Cecilia
Violetta Lopez (soprano), Nicole Birkland (mezzo-soprano), Alexander Boyer (tenor), James
Callon (tenor), Zachary Altman (baritone), Evan Brummel (baritone) and Silas Elash (bass).

When: 7 p.m., Saturday, July 14 at Santana Row Park, across from Left Bank Brasserie. For
more information about Opera San Jose, visit www.operasj.org.

Extras: Spend $250 in a single day at Santana Row and receive free tickets to The Pearl
Fishers, playing Sept. 8-23 at the California Theatre in downtown San Jose. Bizetʼs exotic
romance is set on the tropical island of ancient Ceylon. To redeem, guests must present their
same day receipts at the Santana Row Concierge Center.

kate spade new york opens, July 19
kate spade new york, the upscale boutique, makes its San Jose debut on Santana Row. The
2,319 square foot shop will showcase the brandʼs witty and playfully sophisticated signature
apparel and accessories, including handbags, shoes, dresses, outerwear, hats, luggage,
glasses, paper products and home. kate spade new york on Santana Row is the retailerʼs only
San Jose location. It is located at 355 Santana Row next to Hotel Valencia.

Downtown San Jose Restaurant List Updates!

Several changes have been made to the Downtown San Jose Restaurants database over the past 2 months. We are now up to a staggering 206 restaurants, which I believe is the largest number of eateries in the history of Downtown! New additions are Crema, La Lune Sucree, Yogurtland, Zanatto's Deli, Bijan Cafe (which is actually a wine bar) and of course our first two San Pedro Square Market Restaurants: Pizza Boca Lupo and Vino Vino. We also have at least 7 restaurants that are currently under construction!

As as side note, I'm getting much closer to completing my mission of going to every restaurant in Downtown San Jose. Of the 206 restaurants currently open, I have eaten at 186 of them (90%).

Below is the changelog from the Downtown San Jose Restaurants Database:

• 7/22/2011 Added Yogurtland on 125 E. San Carlos St.
• 8/19/2011 Replaced Cafe 1850 with Crema
• 8/19/2011 A Taste of Paris Closed (Chef moved to Paris)
• 8/19/2011 Added Outdoor Seating to Good Karma
• 9/3/2011         Caffe Trieste is Now Cafe Frascati
• 9/3/2011         Added hours to Yogurtland. Open until midnight on Friday and Saturday!
• 9/3/2011         La Lune Sucree has opened where A Taste of Paris used to be
• 9/18/2011 The first 2 restaurants in the San Pedro Square Market are now permanently open: Pizza Bocca Lupo and Vino Vino
• 9/25/2011 Replaced Cafe Stretto with Bijan Cafe (not to be confused with Bijan Bakery & Cafe). Same owner as Bijan Bakery but with a different menu and Bijan Cafe has exotic beers and wine.
• 9/25/2011 Added new outdoor seating to Vino Vino

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.

Yogurtland is Coming Downtown

A brand new Yogurtland is coming to Downtown San Jose near SJSU at 125 E. San Carlos Street.  Some of you may remember this as the old Gamestop space. Thanks to Arlene for the tip!

Fanime Weekend

This weekend is FanimeCon in Downtown San Jose, the largest anime convention in Northern California and one of the top 10 in the US. If you're wondering what thousands of people are doing running around in funky costumes, well you'll just have to click this link. Also, show your FanimeCon badge at any of the restaurants below and you'll get a 10% discount:

Shop	Address	Item
The Cheese Steak Shop	76 E. Santa Clara	Authentic Philly Cheese Steaks
Peggy Sue’s	185 Park Ave	Burgers and Milkshakes
Tengu Sushi	111 Paseo De San Antonio	Sushi Boat
Philz Coffee	118 Paseo De San Antonio	Coffee House
Good Karma Café	37 S. 1st St.	Vegetarian Fast Food
Smile Sushi	86 S. 1st St.	Sushi Boat
Pho 69 Noodle	321 S. 1st St.	Fusion Noodle House
House of Siam	151 S. 2nd St.	Thai Cuisine
Icebee Frozen Yogurt	151 S. 2nd St.	Do-It-Yourself Yogurt
Pita Pit	151 S. 2nd St.	Wraps and Sandwiches
Psycho Donuts	288 S. 2nd St.	Specialty and Custom Donuts
Bo Town	409 S. 2nd St.	Regional South East Asian Cuisine
Hydration Coffee & Tea	310 S. 3rd St.	Pearl Tea and Snacks
Pagoda Restaurant	170 S. Market St.	Upscale Chinese

E&O Trading Company is Being Replaced by a Mediterranean Restaurant

The owners of Flames in Downtown San Jose are bringing a 6,000 sqft Mediterranean/Greek restaurant to South First Street in the space that used to house E&O Trading Company. The plan is to launch the restaurant by late summer. When it opens, it will be the only Greek restaurant Downtown. There was one planned for Post Street, but plans feel through late last year. Click here for more info!

On an unrelated note, there is also a new Yogurt shop coming to Santa Clara Street.  It will have some big shoes to fill with Penguin Froyo gone.

New San Jose Froyo Truck - Twisted Chill

Well... it's about time. Finally someone in Norcal figured out a way to package self serve Frozen Yogurt into a food truck, and they just happen to be based out of San Jose.

The truck is called Twisted Chill and below are some mock ups, including one rough one of what the self serve section will look like. They are already planning to participate in SJ EATS!

Facebook Link
Twitter Link

Whipp's Frozen Fruit Deal

Whipp's has become one of my favorite dessert stops Downtown. They have a very unique product which essentially consists of fresh fruit ground up into something similar to ice cream. I typically combine their whipped fruit with some type of yogurt such as vanilla tart. They also have free parking right behind their store, a rare convenience downtown! Currently, KGB Deals is running a 50% off promotion for them. Check out the deal over here!

Hit the sweet spot with a medium-sized frozen fruit dessert for $1.95 at Whipp’s Frozen Fruit ($3.95 value)

who & where

• Whipp's Frozen Fruit
• www.whippsdesserts.com
• 110 E. San Fernando St.
• San Jose, CA 95112
• 608.930.9490

by the way:

• Valid until June 12, 2011
• Cannot be combined with other offers

need to know:

• Tasty and refreshing whipped dessert with your choice of two fresh fruit flavors
• Choose from any delicious and low-calorie flavors like pear, banana, watermelon, peach, pineapple, and more
• All-natural, non-fat, and non-dairy dessert

what & why

Since the dawn of low-carb-low-fat-low-calorie diets, faithful followers have been hunting down sugar-sweetened gratification that hits the spot without expanding the waistline. Satisfy your craving for something indulgent yet diet-friendly with today’s kgbdeal and enjoy a medium-sized frozen fruit cup for just $1.95 at Whipp’s Frozen Fruit. This health-conscious dessert destination sells tart, naturally tasty desserts that are non-fat, non-dairy, and topped with whipped fresh fruit in your choice of two seriously delicious flavors. Have your dessert and still fit into those skinny jeans with a satisfying sweet treat that somehow tastes like ice cream without all those unnecessary calories. 

The Kebab Shack Replaces Chill Factor

The bad news is Chill Factor Frozen Yogurt Lounge at 312 S. 3rd is no more. This brings us down to ONLY FIVE yogurt shops in Downtown San Jose.

The good news is it was replaced by a solid Mediterranean place called The Kebab Shack. I tried their chicken kebabs and recently, and they were extremely tender and flavorful. It does take about 15min to get your order because everything is made fresh to order, but it's worth the wait. The best part? Open until 3am on the weekends.

PINKBERRY CONTEST WINNERS!!!

Thanks again to everyone that participated in the Pinkberry contest. Choosing winners was a huge challenge since all of the answers were great! Listed below are the 5 winners:

San Jose is eclectic – Payge
San Jose is progressive - Arlene
San Jose is visionary - Kevin
San Jose is unique – Heidi
San Jose is home – Joie

Congratulations guys! If you're a winner, please send your mailing address to josh@thesanjoseblog.com and I'll send over your gift card.

For everyone else (including those that did not participate), your consolation prize can be the Pinkberry party today with FREE yogurt and musical entertainment, featuring Evan Taubenfeld (lead guitarist for Avril Lavigne). The party goes from 6-10pm at the new Pinkberry location in the Pueblo Plaza Shopping Center, 1110 Blossom Hill Road. Enjoy!

PINKBERRY GIFT CARD CONTEST IS LIVE!!!

In honor of the 2nd Pinkberry in San Jose at 1110 Blossom Hill Road, we're giving away five $5 Pinkberry gift cards. Also keep in mind that everyone will be able to snag some free yogurt at their grand opening party on Thursday between 6pm and 10pm, all while being entertained by guest DJ Evan Taubenfeld (lead guitarist for Avirl Lavigne).

Alright then, onto the contest.  This time around it's very simple:

*********************

DESCRIBE SAN JOSE, IN ONE WORD

San Jose is [ your word here ]

*********************

Everyone gets a single shot in the comments section below. Some disclaimers:

• In order to participate in the contest, you cannot post anonymously.
• Please use the format "San Jose is [ your word here ]" 
• You can only post a single answer, although it is okay to have multiple comments regarding other people's posts.  Posting more than one "San Jose is [ ]" answer in the comments below will get you disqualified!
• You cannot post anything that has already been posted by another reader.

But of course, there is more. You can also get a BONUS post on Facebook! All you need to do is find the Facebook post called PINKBERRY GIFT CARD CONTEST IS LIVE!!! and post another answer over there for a second shot at winning. It is possible to win 2 cards thanks to the BONUS post.

The contest ends in 24 hours and the winners will be announced Thursday morning! Good Luck!

Pinkberry Gift Card Contest Starts Tonight!

To celebrate the grand opening of the 2nd Pinkberry in San Jose, we're kicking off a contest which will culminate in 5 winners of Pinkberry gift certificates! The new location is at 1110 Blossom Hill Road (Pueblo Plaza Shopping Center) and they're having a grand opening party on Thursday featuring free yogurt, music, and a celebrity guest.

The contest starts tonight at 7:00 PM!

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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The Latest on the Downtown SJ Retail Front

I haven't checked out the SJ Redevelopment agency reports in a while, so I thought I would do a quick post on the latest info. Below is data from the August SJRA report. The MMoon is obviously already open and I'm really looking forward to Paesano's (the first restaurant in Little Italy), Pho 69, and Soho Cafe. In the SJ Development Forum, sjdowntownguy broke the news of a 7-Eleven coming to 15 N. Second (Dr. Eu building) and Bank of the West offices coming to 95 S. Market (former McWhorter's). Lastly, at the SJDA meeting yesterday I heard some really great news about TechShop coming to San Jose at 300 South 2nd Street. I found some additional details on this and will break it out into a separate blog post for later today. I think they would be a great addition to the downtown community!



New Retail Openings
• Morton’s Steakhouse – expansion (177 Park Ave.)
• Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt (567 Coleman Ave., Ste. 10)

New Retail Lease
• Soho Café (30 E. Santa Clara St., Fountain Alley)

Retail Under Construction
There are four retail stores or restaurants in the Downtown currently under construction or in the permitting process:

Opening Third Quarter 2010
• La Victoria - expansion (131 W. Santa Clara St.)
• Paesano’s Sicilian Restaurant (350 W. Julian St.)
• The MMoon Empanada Restaurant (177 W. Santa Clara St.)

Opening Fourth Quarter 2010
• Pho 69 Restaurant (321 South First St.)

Spirit of Japantown Festival in San Jose!

Looks like a great event is coming to Japantown this weekend in celebration of its 120 year history. All sorts of Japanese cultural entertainment, food, art & crafts, music, and exhibits are taking over 7 city blocks in Japantown! For more information, check out this link.



Also, an inside scoop on some of the food there from Kathy Sakamoto: "Spirit of Japantown FOOD!: Willydog (kimchee burritos-yes-that's what we said!), TREATbot, Tengu Sushi (sushi and spam musubi), Mariani's sausage sandwiches, Yogurtworks, Nijiya Market (okonomiyaki, yakisoba), LOCO GRINDZ-fried rice & noodles, Portuguese sausage, Quickdog "traditional"hotdogs!, Jamba Juice, House of Si...am (Thai food from the two sisters!), Corn-fu (kettle korn), Momiji Kayo Club gyoza..G.Biersch, Sapporo, Primo, Kirin, Ito-En drinks...more!"