SJMADE with SJEATS @ San Pedro Square Market!

Of all the events I have plugged this year so far, I have to say I am the most excited about the one below. It will usher in a new, major permanent attraction in San Jose. At the San Pedro Square Market sign lighting last week, Sam Liccardo said this was the beginning of Downtown's second renaissance. I think he's right, and the event coming next weekend will show you why.

I actually see this event as a combination of 3 main attractions:

1.) SJMADE - They will be showcasing local vendors (including The Usuals), south bay culture, San Jose art, and live music. This is a great way to support our burgeoning arts, fashion, and crafts community.

2.) SJEATS - The best food trucks in the Bay Area will be gathering along St. John Street right in front of the Market. They'll also be providing some entertainment.

3.) San Pedro Square Market Soft Launch - You will be able to try out the wine bar also featuring plates of fine cheeses and cold cuts, enjoy a mojito or craft beer at the San Pedro Square Bar, have a pizza baked in a hand-made brick oven imported from Naples at Pizza Bocca Lupo, or maybe even get a haircut at Crewners. This will give you a good sample of what's coming with an ambiance you just can't beat.

If you're reading this blog right now, then you have to mark your calendar for this event. Bring the whole family!

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SJMADE with SJEATS
San Jose, California
September 17 & 18, 2011
San Pedro Square Market

PRESS RELEASE

San Jose Made (SJMADE) found its roots in San Jose, CA, where brother and sister, Mike and Marie Millares of The Usuals, ran small trunk shows featuring products from local brands. The small trunk shows have, since, grown into larger-scale vendor shows for locals who are building independent brands, creating collections, or designing goods in the San Francisco South Bay Area. SJMADE events house vendor and artist booths alongside live music performances by local acts. In response to the growing demand for local goods, SJMADE partnered with SJEATS hoping to continue this unique homegrown shopping and food experience in San Jose, CA.

Some of the Bay Area’s best food trucks are coming to San Pedro Square Market for SJMADE with SJEATS, a vendor and food truck festival based in San Jose, CA. Cuisines spanning the globe will be represented, from Filipino street food to chrome karaoke ice cream trucks. SJEATS was founded by husband and wife team, Ryan and Christine Sebastian. The couple operates Moveable Feast, a traveling food truck and live music event. Thousands of people have attended Moveable Feast events to sample local fare from gourmet food trucks with a helping of live music.

SJMADE with SJEATS is scheduled to run 11:00a to 7:00p on Saturday and Sunday, September 17th and 18th at San Pedro Square Market in downtown San Jose. Admission is free. The growing schedule of vendors and food trucks is available online at: http://www.sanjosemade.com.

San Jose Made Event This Weekend!

Come support local vendors and clothiers at the SJMADE event this weekend in San Jose's midtown district! The past couple events were a huge success, so let's keep fueling the flame for quality local products.

SJMADE + SJEATS

I have never been more proud to be a San Josean. Yesterday the SJMADE and SJEATS events took place and both were completely packed with people coming to support local vendors. SJMADE was entirely comprised of local store owners, artists, and purveyors of San Jose made and inspired goods. The two locations where this took place were entirely filled to capacity throughout the event. To give you an idea of how many people were there, it took me 10 minutes to walk from one side of the old Tied House building to the other. Half way through, all vendors selling food were completely sold out and by the end of the night many of the most popular products were entirely gone.

Going on at the same time was SJEATS. This was the very first event of it's kind in the South Bay and was run by Ryan Sebastian, the proprietor behind San Jose's famous Treatbot Karaoke Ice Cream Truck. It shares some similarities to Off the Grid in SF, featuring multiple gourmet food trucks. The difference was in the number of people. Just about every truck has a 1-2 hour line. Chairman Bao I think hit a 3 hour wait at one point. By the time I got there for lunch, 4 trucks were completely sold out of all food. Dinner was just as crazy with people lining up an hour before the trucks even got there. Despite the long waits, people were smiling, laughing, and having a great time. I went with a pretty large group, so we split up and went to 4 different trucks and then shared everything (and yes, the food was obscenely good). Also, several of the food trucks said this was the busiest they have ever been, period. Some claimed to sell twice as much product as they ever have at any event int the past, including Off the Grid.

What happened to the people tired of waiting for the food trucks? They cleaned house across the San Pedro Square restaurants, which were the busiest I have seen them... ever. By 2pm, The Mmoon was entirely sold out of empanadas. They had to close down for 2 hours and even after reopening they were down to only vegetarian options. La Pinata had a one hour wait. Satori was full, as were Peggie Su's, Los Cubanos, and San Pedro Bistro and Wine Bar.

For those who still fail to see Downtown San Jose's potential, these two events were pretty much proof that the surface hasn't even been scratched on what Downtown can become. One of the highlights for me was getting a glimpse of what San Pedro Square could become after the urban market opens up. When high-quality and unique products and services come together, the people will surely follow.