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!

More Veggielution News

Farm Stand re-opens!

Posted By Cody Kraatz, on February 11th, 2011

Veggielution’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?

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

Join our newsletter email list
'Like' us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Find us on Flickr
Friend us on MySpace

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?

 

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.

Happy Valentine's Day San Jose!

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

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

Workshop Argentina: with Chiachio & Giannone

from Phantom Galleries by Cherri Lakey

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

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 by Cherri Lakey

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

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.

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.

Wednesday Wishlist: For the San Pedro Square Market to Open ASAP!

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.

San Jose Metblogs: Cinequest 21!!!

Cinequest 21 is headed our way!

from San Jose Metblogs by Cynthia Corral

I hope everyone is taking their vitamins, getting their exercise, and soaking up lots of this February sun…  there are only 25 more days until Cinequest 21 hits downtown San Jose.

This year you can expect 173 films, starring such notable actors such as Edie Falco, Edward James Olmos, Uma Thurman, Catherine Deneuve, John Turturro, Dennis Quaid, Helen Hunt, Jenna Fischer and Chris O’Donnell… and even MORE.

Cinequest turns 21 this year, so it’s now of age, and of course in celebration there will be ten Maverick Meetups, 11 VIP Soirees, and of course the fantastic Openingand Closing Parties.

Passione

The opening film will be PASSIONE, screening at 7pm on March 1 in the California Theatre.  These tickets go quickly, so you should be making plans now.  This film is written and directed by John Turturro, and he is expected to attend the festival to receive the Maverick Spirit Award this year.  The opening party will be at Eulipia Restaurant ANDThe Swinging Hookah on South 1st Street, right after the film.

The closing film will be SOUL SURFER, the story of Bethany Hamilton.  This young surfing star lost her arm in a shark attack, and many teenage girls, including my daughter, have her poster on their wall – still surfing, even after the accident.  But this story goes even further.  Bethany found a great purpose in life when she visited Thailand after the tsunami.  Played by AnnaSophia Robb (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) and also starring Dennis Quaid, Helen Hunt and Carrie Underwood, this film should make a great end to the festival.  Bethany and AnnaSophia will both be receiving Maverick Spirit Awards.  The closing party will follow at South First Billiards and will last until they kick us out (kicking and screaming).  This will be another event you need to start looking at tickets for now to avoid missing out.

Nosferatu

Other highlights include:

The 1922 silent film NOSFERATU, A SYMPHONY OF HORROR in a 35mm color tinted restoration.  One of the first vampires on film, you’re sure to have nightmares watching Edward Cullen’s great-great-great-great-great grandfather.

The Day of the Writer forums will focus on Sci Fi!  Part One is called “Crafting the Heart of Sci Fi: The Story”.  Howard Suber from UCLA will use films such as 2001, ALIEN, BLADE RUNNER and TERMINATOR as examples in this story development forum.  Part Two is “Sci Fi Writing Comprehensive” and will be run by writers Steve Cuden (“Startgate Infinity”) and Paul Chitlik (“The New Twilight Zone”).  Part Three is a discussion with two of the industry’s most prominent sci-fi writers:  Academy Award winner David Webb Peoples (BLADERUNNER, 12 MONKEYS) will join whomever wins the Maverick Spirit Award.  Should be interesting to anyone who loves Sci Fi!!

We will have Cinequest updates and film reviews up as we get closer to festival time.  Keep checking back for all your Cinequest updates, and while you’re waiting, head over to the Cinequest site to purchase your tickets and film passes!

But most importantly, take care of yourself this month, because in 25 more days we’re all headed back to the theater for a marathon of independent film — JOIN US!

Cinequest Film Festival 21

March 1 to March 13, 2011

Twitter: @Cinequest

Twitter hashtags:  We use #CQFF.  Cinequest inexplicably wants #CQMMC.

Pick one or mix and match!

February 2011 Downtown Dimension Highlights

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

• Redevelopment agencies are under fire by our new Governor and SJ is fighting (along with many other cities across the state) to keep the redevelopment agencies alive. Many projects including the HP Pavilion, Convention Center, Fairmont, and Adobe HQ would not have been possible without the RDA.
• Police, VTA, and city officials are cracking down on drug dealing around Fountain Alley. Stakeholders are also discussing improving lighting and adding more police patrols.
• The San Jose Cultural Plan for 2011-2020 strengthens downtown as the creative and cultural center of Silicon Valley. 1stAct, zer01, California Theater renovation, and Artsopolis all came from previous Culture Plans. The 2011 plan suggests:
• Nurturing small-scale performing arts venues
• Creating a fund to support small art organizations
• Locating a dedicated festival site such as the Arena Green or Discovery Meadow
• Celebrating diversity through arts and culture
• Including big public art projects
• Promoting economic development through the arts
• The City Parks Alliance gave national recognition to the Guadalupe River Park as being a leading example of an urban park.
• This summer, San Carlos Street between Market and Fourth will receive a $4 million renovation that will:
• Widen sidewalks
• Add planters, benches, garbage cans, and bike racks
• Improve lighting
• "The city received an $80k grant that will allow an interactive public art display to be added to San Carlos Street, connecting the university to SoFA and the Convention Center." Street poles will be lit with LED lights that will change and react based on movement on the street. [Josh: I love this idea, the more interactive/dynamic art the better!]
• Downtown Ice brought in 41,926 skaters and despite rainy days, broke the previous single day attendance record 4 times.
• 44 utility boxes will magically disappear. Groundwerx crews have taken pictures of what's behind each cabinet and will wrap each utility box with vinyl decals of the pictures, creating an optical illusion. 22 others (most in SoFA) will be hand painted or wrapped in local art. [Josh: Very, very cool]
• La Pinata is now open on San Pedro Square.
• The remodeled and expanded La Vics is also now open.
• Brixton Hue Salon and Style Studio has moved into what used to be Chic Chateau at 96 S. 3rd. They are also planning to sell handbags, jewelry, and fashion accessories.
• Motif has been remodeled by one of the designers of the Hard Rock Cafe and Palms Hotel in Vegas.
• The San Jose Sabercats are returning to the HP Pavilion for a 9 game season starting in March. 
• Downtown hotel occupancy rose from 50% in 2009 to 59% in 2010. Total revenue increased by almost $9M.

To read the full newsletter, click here!

Tesla is Coming to Santana Row!

Tesla may not have been able to relocate their offices and factory to North San Jose as originally planned, but they will have a presence here. The word just got out that they are planning to build a "store" at Santana Row! Instead of using dealers and 3rd parties, they are planning to sell cars directly to consumers much like an Apple store. They already have 30 of these worldwide that are either open already or near opening, and the closest one right now is the original in Menlo Park.

I imagine the first car they will sell at the store will be the Model S (pictured below), a $56k all electric vehicle with up to a 300 mile battery, 0-60 of 5.6 seconds, a 17 inch LCD touchscreen, and seating for up to 7 people. These will start shipping in late 2012.

This year Tesla will also announce the Model X, which is a crossover version built on the same platform as the Model S. Eventually they will also release a Model C (~$30k compact or midsize electric car) and a new roadster to replace their current $100k+ speed demon--which may transform into a 4-seat convertible in it's second life. While I'm a huge advocate of Downtown San Jose, I think Tesla made the right choice with Santana Row. Now please excuse me while I check my couch for some spare change.

Niemi Shuts Out Bruins In Sharks' 2-0 Victory

The San Jose Sharks extend their current road victory to 2-0 with a victory over the strong Boston Bruins with a score of 2-0. Logan Couture's power play goal just seven and a half minutes into the first period was all the team needed to win, especially with the strong, stepped up defensive play that allowed goaltender Antti Niemi to earn his third shutout of the season. Forward Devin Setoguchi increased the score to 2-0 with three seconds left in the game on an open net, as the Bruins pulled their goaltender Tim Thomas in an attempt to tie the game late in the third. Although the Sharks' 18 total shots on net were the lowest of the season, it was enough to earn their much-deserved two points.

The Sharks' defense was continually impressive all game, defending the net and keeping the Bruins scoreless for their four power plays. Even during the Bruins' fourth power play in the third period from a Joe Thornton tripping call, the Bruins failed to register a single shot on net for the entire two minutes. It became clear, to those of us either watching the game on television or listening to the game on the radio, that the fans in Boston's TD Garden were disappointed and began booing their team in disgust.

Although the Bruins played a decent game, almost scoring from a Milan Lucic shot that hit the post, and their many almost-successful attempts to capitalize on the several large rebounds given by Niemi, the Sharks' defense today was too strong. In addition, the Bruins failed to win the puck battles in the corners (something the Sharks have been great at all season, with the likes of Ryane Clowe and Scott Nichol), giving the Sharks more control over the puck's movement.

Couture's goal (after missing two straight games from the flu) puts his tally to 23, giving him a comfortable lead thus far in the rookie goal scoring race (five ahead of the Hurricanes' Jeff Skinner).

With the win, the Sharks are now tied with the Anaheim Ducks in the Western Conference standings at 62 points (taking up the 4th and 5th place spots), although the Ducks have played in one more game.

The Sharks continue their road trip next Tuesday (the 8th) against a powerful Washington Capitals team in D.C.

WIGGLERAMA at Trieste

from Phantom Galleries by Cherri Lakey

WIGGLERAMA - A DJ Night w/ DJ Coco and Boboso!
Saturday, Feb.5th 8pm - 11pm
at Caffe Trieste
315 1st St.
San Jose, CA 95113
Free. All Ages but there are some adults beverage for sale at the cafe.

One More First Friday Plug, Because it's Worth It!

Phantom Galleries:

Join us for South FIRST FRIDAYS Art Walk February 4th!
An eclectic evening of arts and culture in downtown San Jose's SoFA District (& beyond)!
Venues are open 7pm-11pm & are free of charge

HIghlights include:

Phantom Galleries in the windows of 386 South First Street:
Two exhibitions featuring Yumiko & Reiko Miyagawa and Mike Park
Miyagawa sisters' first collaboration photo show. The sisters came up with themes that have contrastive ideas, and each one took photos with "our weirdo heads' imagination!"

Mike Park exhibits the different colors of VINYL.


Phantom Galleries at Caffé Trieste - 315 South First Street
Opening Reception - Around the World in 30,000 Photographs by Frances Freyberg
In 2008, emerging photographer Frances Freyberg left her job in high-tech communications to travel the world for a year, taking photos and writing about her experiences. Over the course of the year, she took more than 30,000 photographs across 41 different countries. This exhibit includes some of her favorite photos from Asia, India, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and North and South America.
First Fridays are Opera Night! at Caffé Trieste with some of the Bay Area’s best opera singers performing your favorite arias and duets.


Phantom Galleries at Good Karma Vegan Café - 37 South First Street
Opening Reception: Art Alive by Trina Merry A rich collaboration with a variety of talented Bay Area photographers- wet plate, fine art, fashion, and maternity photography.
Trina Merry has been exploring and focusing on bodypainting solely since her installation "The Television Totem Pole" at the SubZERO Festival 2010. This exhibit showcases her explorations that have spawned and informed her other bodypaint series, music videos, and current work.


Phantom Galleries at Pho69 - 321 South First Street
Opening Reception- Just In Time: Abstracts by Jane Peterman. The series of paintings is a meditation on time and space beginning March 2009 and ongoing.
Join us for a Vietnamese New Year celebration with Lion Dancers, traditional New Years food tastings, and lucky red envelopes fortunes.


Anno Domini // the second coming of Art & Design - 366 South First Street
Artist's Reception- Auroral Dreaming new sculptures by Derek Weisberg
Derek Weisberg returns to Anno Domini for his second solo exhibition with a brand new body of ambitious and courageous work. Weisberg continues to examine his own life and the world around him, attempting to answer questions, which have plagued humans since the beginning of time.
Live music by Suzanne Vallie


The Education of Hopey Glass: Day by Day with Hopey, Jaime Hernandez, ink on paper, 2010
MACLA - 510 South First Street
Join MACLA for an extraordinary evening of art: In MACLA’s Gallery: Novelas, Love and Other Adventures Featuring: Jaime Hernandez, Favianna Rodriguez, Rio Yañez and Mayra Ramirez.
Please join us for our Opening Reception & Artist Talk: at 7:00pm Join Jaime Hernandez of famed comic book series Love & Rockets and Bay Area Artist Rio Yañez for an engaging conversation about their work.


Higher Fire Clayspace & Gallery - 499 Market Street
Artist's Reception- Joy Imai: Soda-Fired Porcelain
Botanical elements dot the surface of Joy Imai's soda-glazed pottery, but her work is pure pyromaniac in origin! Joy sprays baking soda & water into a 2300 degree kiln causing the solution to break down into sodium vapor glaze. The vapors flash her pots with color - all surprising, unique, and a tangible record of what pieces endured in the kiln.
Reception for the featured artist will be held in conjunction with South First Friday festivities on Feb 4 from 7pm 'til late... plus an evening of pottery wheel demonstrations, kids' clay table, and light refreshments too.


SLG Art Boutiki & Gallery - 577 South Market Street
SLG Art Boutiki presents the art of Vesha Valentine by Des Taylor. Celebrating the release of the new storybook by Taylor, SLG will be showing unseen art from the book. Live music and of course all the things that make The Art Boutiki the best comics art gallery in town!


Targets by Myrrh, acrylic on wood
Works San José - 451 South First Street
Opening Reception- Better Luck Next Time
Have you ever heard these words? It is defined as “an expression that comforts someone for a minor disappointment.” Whether it’s a matter of the heart, life experiences, work or leisure, there is almost always a time when this applies. It might be that piece of art that is loved but just didn’t fit the bill. Engaging in a conversation, examining social or political issues, creating humor, capturing history or chronicling a new work—this exhibition will reveal the artistic expression for the meaning behind the phrase. These artists are making the choice to be lucky this year, presenting some great art that will empower time and again discovering hilarity in Better Luck Next time. Presented by Works in collaboration with South Bay Area Women’s Caucus for Art.


METRO Photo Exhibit - 550 South First Street
Come join us in the Metro building for Pulp Female, photography by Jen Anderson and Ian Healy


Blue Boy by Jay Ruland
KALEID Gallery - 88 South Fourth Street (at San Fernando)
Surgery.Art presents Dark Matter a group study of the dark and immeasurable.
Featuring dark analytical work by: Matthew Pugh, Marie Dvorkin, Alla Viksne, Jay Ruland, Alex Yanushkevich, Kelly Nelson, Emily Feucht, Haley Goodlett, J. Marie Valdivia, Centa Schumacher, Mike Dvorkin, Genevieve Hastings, Shauna Mork + more. Fashion study by Mike Kemling. Auditory guidance by Audrey Stats, Kevorkian/Dvorkin, Geoffrey Smith. Curated by: Marie Dvorkin, Dora Lee


Patty, John Renzel, acrylic on canvas
Psycho Donuts - 288 South Second Street
On view: Local Characters - Crazy, quirky and colorful characters populate this favorite donut shop art gallery! San Jose's Psycho Donuts has new original art by local artists: John Renzel, Lacey Bryant, Michael Foley, Christine Benjamin, Laura Callin Bennett, Valery Milovic, John Hageman, Murphy Adams and Michael Borja.


South First Billiards Club & Lounge - 420 South First Street
The Prophecy - A night of music, art, and good energy with Audiopharmacy
Hip-Hop, Reggae, Funk, Soul, World, Latin featuring Kaotic Souls and Special guests. Beats By Teao N Offerings. Live Acrylics by- Nice Onem, Mia Ante, Jaiv1. Art Works by- Deth Brain, Nice One, Jaiv1, Dee Jae Pa'este, Mia Ante, Majick, Soil
5-9pm ALL AGES. 9pm-close 21+


San Jose Jazz at Eulipia Restaurant - 374 South First Street
8pm- Joe Bagale
A San Francisco based singer songwriter/composer, multi-instrumentalist, and producer; he is pushing the envelope of what we know as pop music. His compositions are a blend of old-school funk/R&B mixed with the sounds of late 60's/70's rock and topped off with a jazz/avant-garde influence, coming together to create a style entirely all his own.

For full listing of events and information: please visit www.SouthFirstFridays.com or call 408-271-5155

Media Sponsor: Metro Newspapers
Enjoy FREE PEDICAB RIDES between art venues courtesy of South First Fridays and Eco City Cycles!

This event is produced by Two Fish Design with additional support provided by the San Jose Downtown Association, the San Jose Redevelopment Agency and 1st ACT Silicon Valley.