The Bay Area's Largest Food Truck Event Ever is This Saturday in San Jose!

This Saturday from 11am to 5pm at San Jose's History Park, an epic food truck event is going down. In fact, this is going to be the largest food truck event ever in the Bay Area. Over 20 trucks will be present, selling $2 tacos of every kind imaginable. In addition to the trucks, there will be live music, lucha libre wrestling, an air accordion championship, a street market, and most of the great museums in History Park should be accessible. This is definitely going to be worth checking out! To get tickets, just click here.

Food Trucks

The feast day will be filled with tastings, art, and performances with a standardized taco price of only $2 from over twenty-five of the best food trucks from San Jose to San Francisco. Short rib tacos, nacho tacos, Vietnamese shrimp tacos, and even ice cream tacos will be on the day’s menu. Tacos in the competition will be voted on by attendees. Finalists will be judged by a celebrity panel and prizes will be awarded based on quality and presentation. More trucks to be announced!

SOUTH BAY

Bigg Shrimp’n – Shrimp	House of Siam on Wheels – Thai	Louisiana Territory – Cajun
MoGo BBQ – Korean/Mexican	No Way Jose – Mexican	Soulnese – Chinese/Soul
Treatbot – Ice Cream	Wow Silog Truck – Filipino

EAST BAY

Grill Stars– BBQ

LOS ANGELES

Nom Nom Truck– Vietnamese

PENINSULA

Curry Up Now – Indian	MoBowl – Nori	Oaxacan Kitchen – Mexican
Tacos de Los Altos – Mexican	Whisk on Wheels – Local Organic

SAN FRANCISCO

Chairman— Baos	KoJa Kitchen – Korean/Japanese	Iz It – Hawaiianese
Sanguchon – Peruvian	Seoul on Wheels – Korean

Wednesday Wishlist: Learn From San Diego

Today's Wednesday Wishlist is actually from Mark at the Think Bigger San Jose Blog. I was just going to link to it, but I really think everyone here should read this. I've been to San Diego many times over the past couple years and agree entirely with Mark. Please also subscribe to his blog over here, and look out for Mark's first published article in the latest issue of Content Magazine!

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San Jose’s downtown should follow in San Diego’s footsteps: Urban, dense, and a variety of architecture

Posted on March 30, 2012 by Mark

After taking a trip earlier this month to San Diego, and seeing a downtown that is vibrant and active, I returned to San Jose with a renewed vision for potential of this city. Though on the outset SD and SJ do not appear to have any useful correlations, one obvious connection on the outset, is that both cities’ downtowns that are near large airports. Though SJ’s downtown is directly in the flight path, SD has also had to deal with height restrictions on many of its buildings. Be that as it may, SD has been able to build most of its highrises around 30 floors, which is taller than anything in SJ, but not too far off from The 88, which stands at 22 floors. Yet despite most of the buildings in SD being under 30 floors, why is there diverse look, not looking flat like SJ’s skyline? The main reason that downtown SD works even at a restricted height is that it is more dense, more urban, and has more variety of shapes and looks than SJ.

Downtown San Diego

According toSkyscraperpage.com, SJ is listed at 70th in the country for amount of buildings 9 floors or higher, making it the most populous city in the nation with least amount of tall buildings. The next closest city with a million or more people is Phoenix, and it sits at 44th with 91 buildings. SJ is listed with cities like Pompano Beach population 90,000 and Madison, population 220,000. SJ is 7th in the state between the cities of Pasadena and Irvine, both with populations under 200,000. SD on the other hand has 145 buildings, of which only 16 are above 30 floors and only 5 are above 40 floors. But a large catalyst to this growth was the construction of Petco Park, a downtown baseball stadium.

San Diego's diversity of building heights and styles

Since 2005, a year after Petco Park opened, 37 buildings 12 floors or higher were built and 2 more are currently under construction. In that same time frame in SJ, 10 buildings were constructed 9 floors or higher, including the recently finished Casino M8trix and the First Community property on N. 4th.

Part of the slow growth problem is a result of two things. One is that Barry Swenson Builders hold a majority of land slotted for development. Though BSB has done many projects in the past in SJ and knows how to navigate the system of permitting and building in SJ, BSB holds a monopoly. If BSB doesn’t have funding, nothing is being built. So if BSB isn’t building, no one is building. Second, the city seems to have a hand in making it difficult for developers to get the projects going and completed in an efficient and timely manner. This creates hesitancy for outside developers to want to come build in SJ. Recycling the BSB monopoly. Just this week Casino M8trix sued the city of SJ for slow processing of security permits which were applied for in March 2011. The process normally takes 180 days, yet a year later they have not been approved by the SJPD. This move could cost the casino and the city millions. If the city can’t figure out its own permitting process and timetable, then how are developers who have investors’ money on the line, going to plan and build their buildings in a cost effective manner? Also, the city’s permits are outrageously expensive which again is prohibitive to building. One merchant at the San Pedro Square Market was quoted at $1500 for three electrical sockets, an overhead light and a sink. The actually cost was over $4500 when the permitting process was said and done. If this is how the city is treating small businesses than how exorbitant are the fees for large scale building projects?

The answer to SJ’s downtown short comings is to follow SD. Everyone in the SJ development community is in favor of getting the A’s a ballpark downtown. But whether or not that effort succeeds, there are two solutions. First is a more devoted urban approach. For decades, downtown has been built and planned by mostly suburban dwellers. Most if not all lived outside downtown. Urban-ism through the view of a suburbanite doesn’t work. The results are what is standing in downtown.

An aerial view of downtown San Jose

But changes have occurred. Over last half decade, more focus and input has been applied to building a downtown that residents can actually live in. The best example is the 88 condo tower. It has a Safeway on the ground floor and it received a perfect walking score for the residents. It’s location is close to everything important: restaurants, bars, museums, theaters, art galleries, SJSU, and businesses. Another success story is the San Pedro Square Market. Though it is still filling the retail spaces, it has already shown that it will become a very important anchor to the San Pedro area and future housing developments planned around it.

A second solution, is more density and variety. Since SJ is limited on heights- though the height ceiling has not totally been explored- density is the other answer. Because the buildings are both short and spread out, the downtown feels empty and spacious, almost un-urban. Most buildings in SD completely fill the parcel right up to the sidewalk, something vary few buildings in SJ do. Also buildings in SD have modern architectural designs, something that can only be said about the Axis, and maybe the 360 Residences in SJ. The urban artistic community is one thing that SJ is doing really well, and maybe these are the people who should be involved in designing new buildings. As was talked about earlier, BSB holds a majority of the properties, and they have a “formula” for cost effective, quickly built designs. Unfortunately, that manifests in a lot of the buildings that look alike. A similarity of buildings in a city can look good, and helps define the city, but uniformity and repetition is not. Pick any modern building in SJ besides the two mentioned earlier (Axis, 360 Residences), and it can be found in any city in California. In fact many of the designs are so similar, one could argue that the same building does exists somewhere else in California.

The potential of downtown SJ is limitless. But in order to have a vibrant urban center, we need to look at other city’s successful developing stories and use experience from real urban planners. Though SD has a much larger population, SJ is gearing up for 1.25M people by 2040, so looking at how SD constructed the downtown could be a key to turning SJ’s downtown around. It will only be through passionate urban residents demanding a better downtown that change will occur. The focus must be on more density, more architectural variety, and better urban planning.

Almaden Ranch Development

I'm going to start off by saying that I think we're going to have some mixed opinions on this one. Last month the city council approved a 350,000 sqft "big box" retail development between Oakridge Mall and Almaden Plaza. It is a $30-50M project that is not being subsidized. The only rumored tenant so far is a Dick's Sporting Goods.

Now my first question is, what other "big box" tenants or chain restaurants could they possibly add there that don't already exist in the area? If you look at the map below, every chain you can imagine already exists somewhere in the vicinity. There are already millions of square feet of car-oriented retail in the area.

My second question is... in today's economy is it better to snatch the opportunity for a development such as this one or would it have been better to wait for a better use of this acreage? I would have preferred a mixed use development with housing, office, and local retail that is pedestrian friendly. This seems like a great place for an urban village. It's a tough call... take the tax money now or sit on empty land hoping for a better proposal in the future.

Source: SJBJ

Content Magazine Pick-Up Party!

The latest print edition of Content Magazine is launching today and they're throwing a "pick-up" party with some of the people actually featured in the magazine. This is the best publication ever for San Jose fans and enthusiasts, so if you haven't subscribed yet then you definitely need to check out this event (and you might as well enjoy a glass of wine while you're there). All of the details are below!

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CONTENT Magazine believes that the strength of a community is found developing relationships. In this digital age, the tools of communication make it possible for us to eventually connect in real friendship. Nothing can replace a smile, a handshake or a meaningful face to face conversion. We print because we believe in the power of touch. So, we are having a Pick-Up Party: come greet and meet other Subscribers and Content readers as well as some of the individuals featured within the pages.

Happy Easter Everyone!

If you're looking for something fun to do with the family today, there is an Easter Egg hunt in St. James Park today at noon. Details below:

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Easter Egg Hunt in Downtown San Jose

from Downtown San Jose Real Estate by SVLOFTS

 Spring is slowly creeping in and events are blossoming outdoors in Downtown San Jose. On Sunday, April 8^th at noon, the quest for eggs will begin at the Children’s Play Area in St. James Park.  Egg hunts, a popular holiday tradition enjoyed by children of all ages, will take place in big piece of real estate known as St. James’ Park lawn area so take some time to enjoy the spring breeze, fresh air and candy-filled eggs. Please RSVP with Ragan Henninger at district3@sanjoseca.gov if you plan on attending. If you live in one of the nearby communities, such as Park Townsend, The Plaza, 350 N. 2nd Street Lofts, or City Heights, plan on hopping on by for some good old fashioned Easter fun.

What: Easter Egg Hunt
When: April 8^th at noon
Where:  Children’s Play Area in St. James Park (2nd St and St James St, Downtown San Jose)

It's Not Too Late: TOTEM runs until April 15th!

It's not too late!
If you haven't already, you've got one week to catch one of the hottest, most astounding shows here in San Jose.

TOTEM, the traveling Cirque du Soleli show is still mesmerizing audiences, and will be until April 15th.

There is not a moment in the show that I was not amazed, smiling, or actually Oohing and Ahhing at the amazing talent these performers have.

Like many Cirque shows, there is also plenty of humous moments thrown throughout the show.

A couple of favorite moments from the evening..

The "Russian Bars": Just take a look at this photo. Do you see the thin little bouncy bar and how high off the ground these guys are? They jump and twist high in the air and magically (something tells me crazy amounts of practice has something to do with it) land each time back on the bars. This performance had me holding my breath.


(Photo by Daniel Auclair © 2010 Cirque du Soleil)

Another performance I enjoyed was the five girls on unicycles. I don't think I blinked during this part. I like to just TRY to imagine myself in the situation. Having to think about keeping the rhythm with your feet and making sure you're at a certain distance… ignore the audience… and TOSS!CATCH! Don't fall! Yeah I could totally do it. ;)



(Photo by Daniel Desmarais © 2010 Cirque du Soleil Inc.)

You've seen the ads, the artwork wrapped around the Light Rail trains… you've heard your friends rave about it. Be one of them and SEE THIS SHOW before time runs out!

San Pedro Square Farmers' Market Opens Today!!!

Several weeks ago there was a "controversial" post about the San Pedro Square Market, and I'm going to have to stand by everything that I said. I think that the San Pedro Square Market is going to become a landmark attraction in Downtown San Jose and it will be bringing in people from all over the bay.

If you don't believe me, today is a pretty good day to check out the market. If you do believe me, today is a pretty good day to check out the market. In summary, go check out the market today.

In 2 hours, the inaugural Saturday farmer's market is kicking off. Unlike the Friday one, this will be year round and tightly integrated with the San Pedro Square Market itself. In addition to the farmer's market, the second building (Lusardi building) will finally be open for business. Launching today is Veggie Box, which is worth a trip on it's own. You'll get a preview of Blush, a raw bar and bar-bar with an outdoor lounge that will be open until 2am after the official launch mid April. Showroom (I <3 SJ), Ay Dios Mio, and The Poppy Farm are up and running as well. A solid addition to the original building is Crepe-Paris, which serves sweet and savory crepes up until 2am on the weekends (I remember someone asking for a dessert place open late... done).

This is just the beginning. They're also launching live music every Friday. There are plans developing for a Saturday "night-market" from 6pm-midnight (there may even been a food truck or two). Epic events such as the next SJMADE + SJeats are coming. And there are new vendors launching practically every week.

For some more details on what's going down today, keep reading. Better yet, just come on down!

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 Welcome back the San Pedro Square Market Newsletter. We have an incredible array of activities and openings this month, so let's dive right in.

  Tonight we kick off a new series, officially titled Music at the Market Powered by San Jose Jazz, that will run throughout the Spring and Summer every Friday evening from 7-9pm.

  Helping us get things started will be the Vitchev/Tamburr New Quartet, featuring Vibraphonist Christian Tamburr and and Guitarist/composer Hristo Vitchev. For opening night only, there will be a second show as well, featuring jazz violinist Mads Tolling. 

Though we're opening the series more on the modern jazz side of the spectrum, future dates will incluide a wide range of musical genres and styles, showcasing an eclectic selection of local artists.

Saturday, April 7th is a huge day for us, and we're affectionately referring to it as Opening Day.  We are holding the initial installment of the San Pedro Square Farmers' Market. This is a major centerpiece of our cultural programming, and we're partnering with the very best in the business, Urban Village Farmers' Market Association. They produce the highly-respected Campbell Farmers' market, among others. Our Market is targeted toward Downtown residents, and will take place year-round, rain or shine, from 10am-2pm on West St. John St. between N. Almaden and N. San Pedro, directly in front of SPSM. There will be 40+ vendors selling the finest, freshest local food available, as well as music and special events. Opening Day will feature a visit from Leslie Jonath, author of the recently-released At the Farmers' Market With Kids.

In addition to the Farmers' Market, we are welcoming several new permanent vendors to the SPSM team. The Lusardi Building (aka the big green building at the corner of N. Almaden and W. St. John) will open for the first time, with a great roster of businesses, including several retail locations that help us focus our vision as a Public Market, as opposed to a collection of restaurants. The roster for Opening Day looks like this, with a few more pieces yet to come:

- Veggie Box, which will sell fresh produce, flowers, and an array of gourmet goods including bread, olive oil, jams, and spreads.
- Blush Raw Bar & Lounge, a restaurant and bar specializing in Sushi, Oysters, and high end cocktails. Blush's back patio is destined to become the most desirable outdoor seating at the Market. Please note that on Saturday only the bar will be open, the restaurant will follow in a few weeks.
- Ay Dios Mio, a unique boutique specializing in imported art, clothing, and kitchenware, will re-open permanently.
- Showroom, an innovative t-shirt bar, will look to continue the success they've experienced at their first location, The Usuals, located down the road on The Alameda.
-The Poppy Farm, our newest vendor, is a garden and plant store that will sell live plants, tools, books, art, and basically everything a person with a green thumb would need to beautify their life.
Still to come in Lusardi will be Treatbot, the Karaoke Ice Cream Truck, and The Little Cheese Shoppe, both of which will be open soon.

Many of our vendors will be open special hours on Saturday, please see the list below:

In the El Dorado Building, we will have the official opening of Crepe-Paris, which will open at 7am. Try a savory 'Bonjour' crepe with scrambled eggs, ham, cheddar, and hash browns. It would pair beautifully with an artisan single-origin pour-over coffee from B2, which will also open at 7am.

Little Chef Counter will debut their brunch menu at 10am, featuring such innovative dishes as Pancake Benedict, Hash Poutine, and a fresh take on Chicken & Waffles.

The Market Bar is rolling out 3 new signature cocktails in addition to our lineup of craft beers, reasonably-priced wines, and the morning standby, the Bloody Mary. They will open at 10am.

On a Roll, Robee's Falafel, and Vino Vino are all opening an hour early (10am) to coincide with the start of the Farmers Market. Crewners Barbershop will be open all day for gentlemen seeking a respite from the hustle and bustle to enjoy a straight-razor shave or an expert haircut.

On the Peralta Adobe Plaza, we have a full day of music planned. From 2-4pm The Tom & Dave Show will bring their unique interpretations of Classic Rock to the stage. From 4-6pm we have a return performance from the Stan Erhart Duo, featuring scorching lead guitar from Stan himself. From 6-8 we welcome Rockin' Blues Express for their debut Market performance. As evening turns to night the vibe will get a little more left-field, with performances form indie rockers Hotel Island Breakdown at 9 and Pantheon at 10.

We sincerely hope that you'll join us this weekend and every day here at San Pedro Square Market. We have lots more surprises around the corner, including an Arts & Crafts Fair next Sunday April 15th featuring artisans from all over the state.


We will be open on Easter Sunday with the exception of Robee's Falafel and Little Chef Counter, both of whom will be taking a well-deserved day off.

Make sure to check out our website often, we update it as often as possible. The single best way to stay up to date on what's happening here is to 'like' us on Facebook.

Saturday Stats: San Jose Stat is the Most Common University for Apple Employees

The Huffington Post recently posted an article on which colleges most Google and Apple employees have attended. San Jose State University ranked #2 overall and #1 for Apple employees. Not too shabby. I guess this helps explain why San Jose Stated ranked so high in the "Colleges that will make you rich" list. For the full article, click here.

Thanks to Dan for the tip.

Easter 2012 At the Fairmont

If you are still looking for a place to enjoy Easter brunch (or get take out for your own feast at home), I have a recommendation below:

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EASTER 2012

With your family and The Fairmont San Jose

So many great ways to celebrate with family: the grand Champagne Brunch in the Imperial Ballroom, the classic Fountain Restaurant Brunch and even a Fairmont catered meal at home, available for pick-up from 10am to 2pm. Treat your entire family to a great Fairmont memory. For Menus and Details:Easter with Fairmont . Menu items are subject to change, kindly call 408-998-1900 for any questions or to have the most current menu emailed to you.

The Fairmont San Jose is your holiday destination with events for the entire family, all season long. Sunday, April 8, 2012 Imperial Ballroom Champagne Buffet Brunch (bottomless glass) Seatings from 10am to 130pm, every half hour $62 plus tax and service for adults, $29 for children 5-12 years old Under 5 years old, complimentary Entertainment: Single pianist and children’s entertainment (special kids buffet available) Fountain Restaurant Open at 8am for breakfast, until 10am then brunch only, hotel guests may order from menu all day Seatings from 10am to 230pm, every half hour $52 plus tax and service for adults, $24 for children 5-12 years old Under 5 years old complimentary Easter To-Go Complete Easter Meal in the comfort of your home Pick up times from 10am-2pm, every half hour Complete Roast Boneless Rib Eye of Beef $229 plus tax Complete Boneless Leg of Lamb $229 plus tax Easter Egg Hunt in The Lobby Lounge Every hour from 1130am to 230pm, our resident holiday bunny will stash eggs filled with candy and even a golden egg with a very special surprise No cost to participate For Reservations or More Information, kindly call 408-998-3960 Easter Sunday @ The Fairmont - Menus Afternoon Tea is still available for this day

South FIRST FRIDAYS Art Walk April 6th

from Phantom Galleries by Cherri Lakey

Two new feature exhibitions open at KALEID Gallery this Friday, April 6th, 7pm!

Of War and Peace, The Truth Just Twists, It’s Curfew Gull Just Glides
a collection of paintings by André Hart



Selcouth
new work by Shannon Amidon


Artist's Reception 7-11pm
KALEID Gallery
88 South Fourth Street (@ San Fernando)

New exhibition opens at PHO69

Phantom Galleries presents A World of Colors and Whim by Florence de Bretagne at Pho69.
Artist's Reception 7-11pm
321 South First Street


New exhibits at MACLA, Anno Domini, WORKS, SLG ArtBoutiki, Art Ark Gallery and more! Visit the South FIRST FRIDAYS Art Walk web site for full lineup here.

DS2 Raises $12.7M

DS2 is a company that specializes in computational design platforms and electrical equipment. They were founded in 2007 and are currently in West San Jose. They raised $12.7M in a Series C round. Perhaps in a couple of years we'll see them IPO.

Source: SJBJ

Wednesday Wishlist: Free WiFi for the City of San Jose

Wherever people go, more and more they are expecting access to all of their data whether it is work or play. Speaking of work, most of the innovation happening today in Silicon Valley is focused around the internet, whether it is software as a service, mobile apps, or underlying infrastructure. It just makes sense to make the internet ubiquitous here. Mountain View already has city-wide WiFi courtesy of Google, and Santa Clara will be next (via Silicon Valley Power). To stay on the cutting edge, we really need to make this standard infrastructure as accessible as possible.

A huge step in the right direction is the $100k upgrade of our free WiFi system Downtown. The current system was built in 2004, is slow, and drops frequently in many areas. The new system being provided by Ruckus Wireless will be substantially faster and have far better coverage. The next step will be expanding it beyond Downtown!

Veggielution Expansion!

Over the weekend Veggielution announced that they are tripling their acreage over at Emma Prusch Farm! This will allow them to greatly increase production of their fresh San Jose-grown fruits and vegetables as well as create a fruit orchard, outdoor kitchen, and a permanent farm stand. For all the details, read the press release below.

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Veggielution was founded in 2008 to change the way we think about food and create a sustainable food system in San José. The nonprofit farm has expanded every year thanks to the energy of thousands of volunteers, extensive support from the City of San José, and generous funding from hundreds of donors and foundations.

The expansion to six acres, from just under two acres previously, will allow Veggielution to substantially increase its production of fresh vegetables and fruits in order to increase access to these healthy foods for all San José and Santa Clara County residents. Over the next several years, Veggielution will need three times as many volunteers and greatly expanded funding in order to expand the farm operations and Veggielution’s many educational community programs.

“This is an extremely exciting time for Veggielution,” said Amie Frisch, Veggielution co-founder and Executive Director. “We could not have reached this point without help from the strong and growing network in this community that cares about our local food system. We will be counting on that network and on our supporters’ help more than ever in the years to come. Together we can make a tremendous impact.”

In 2010 and 2011 alone, Veggielution grew more than 35,000 pounds of vegetables, following sustainable farming principles and without the use of synthetic fertilizers or chemicals. The produce is given for free to volunteers after their labor during the farm’s near-daily workdays, sold at low prices at the Saturday farm stand at Emma Prusch Park, donated to soup kitchens, and sold at local farmers markets and restaurants to support farm operations.

“Veggielution helps people connect with the food they eat, and helps foster a sense of community and environmental stewardship in those who participate,” said Mark Anthony Medeiros, Veggielution co-founder and Farm Director. “At the farm, anyone can come and get dirty growing veggies, make friends with cool new people from their community, and buy produce at affordable prices. We’re very excited that the City of San José is supporting us by allowing us to expand our farm to include even more people.”

Expansion Plans
The proposed design for the expanded farm, prepared by local landscape architect Bruce Hill in consultation with Veggielution staff, incorporates elements of Prusch Farm Park's original 1972 Master Plan and input that Veggielution gathered from the community. The plan includes fruit orchards, an outdoor kitchen for cooking and nutrition classes, a permanent farm stand, a packing and cooling shed, an expanded greenhouse and shadehouse complex, and a mobile office. Veggielution will work with City staff on every step of implementation.

The design preserves and deepens the volunteers’ and visitors’ educational experience with signage and nods to the agricultural history of the Valley of Heart’s Delight. The increase in farmed land dramatically increases the number of volunteer opportunities for people of all walks of life and skill levels, while also allowing Veggielution to add to its existing offering of cooking and nutrition classes, Dig Crew high school youth program, off-site school gardens, and workshops.

About Veggielution

Veggielution empowers youth and adults from diverse backgrounds to create a sustainable food system in San Jose. Our urban farm engages the community by providing access to healthy and local food, creating youth leadership opportunities, and developing creative solutions to social and environmental justice issues.

Veggielution is a 2 acre non-profit community farm dedicated to creating a more sustainable food system in San Jose. We empower people to change the way they think about food by getting their hands in the soil, connecting with the land, and tasting the fruits of their labor. For more information visitwww.veggielution.org.

Apple May Come to San Jose!

This is not an April fool's joke, although this just so happens to be the exact same parcel between Bay 101 and M8trix that was mentioned yesterday. Now that Apple has bought out or leased all available space in Cupertino and most of the remaining space in Sunnyvale, they are looking at North San Jose for expansion possibilities. This space could support at least one million square feet of office space. The owner, Peery-Arrillaga, is supposedly working with Apple on a build-to-suit development on this very site. It looks like the city's new strategy of cutting fees and reducing development barriers is already paying dividends!

Source: SJBJ

Breaking News: The Bellagio is Coming to San Jose!

MGM Resorts International have announced plans to build a Bellagio-like card room in the vacant space between Bay 101 (red area below) and the brand new M8trix Casino (blue area). If approved, the $350-400M project will include a 35-floor hotel tower with over 500 rooms, several new restaurants, and a theater for entertainment acts. Could this be the start of a mini-Vegas in San Jose?

Source: Press Release

Saturday Stats: San Jose is the Most Active City (Based on Foursquare Check-ins)

Okay, so this isn't exactly a scientific survey but it's pretty cool nonetheless. According to Shape magazine, San Jose ranked as the #1 most active city in the US and the #3 city for healthy eating. This data is coming from the 15 million foursquare users in the country. For the full article, click here.

Hat tip to Cassie for sending this in.

Kori Thompson at Ohana Board Shop

from Phantom Galleries by Cherri Lakey

Basic Space, all new paintings by Kori Thompson.
Music by RS2
Live skate demos on Ohana's new ramp
All ages welcome.

Saturday, March 31, 6-8:30pm

Ohana Board Shop
3575 Stevens Creek Blvd.
San Jose

New Year-Round Saturday Farmer's Market is Launching Downtown!

The post below is from the San Pedro Square Market blog. This is excellent news for Downtown. In addition to our seasonal Friday Farmer's Market in the summer, we'll have a brand new peak-time Saturday market open all year round. I'm really looking forward to seeing how this develops in conjunction with the San Pedro Square Market. Also, a hat tip to Arlene for sending this news in.

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Okay, so we know that we keep advertising for our Farmers' Market and how Spring is around the corner. Well folks, it is finally here! Saturday April 7^th , is the opening day of the year-round, rain-or-shine Saturday Farmers' Market. Here is what you need to know:

It will be open 10am-2pm. 

Located on W. St. John between N. Almaden and N. San Pedro, directly in front of SPSM.

Around 40-50 vendors, mostly farmers, prepared food, and flowers. 

The timing of it is perfect for all you that work during the week! Get your grocery shopping done at the farmers market, then come enjoy the rest of your Saturday at the Market! Enjoy some lunch, drinks and entertainment here at SPSM since there is always something here to entertain you. We’ve even got some special surprises lined up for you during and after the Farmers' Market. We’ve got author signings, live music and so much more to make sure you have the best enjoyable weekend here at San Pedro Square Market.

Please note that this is a separate event from the Downtown Farmers Market that occurs seasonally on Fridays on San Pedro St. 

Shannon Amidon, Andre Hart Solo Exhibitions at KALEID April 6th

from Phantom Galleries by Cherri Lakey

Selcouth new work by Shannon Amidon
I’m a collector of the odd and beautiful, the repulsive, rare and mysterious; objects that occupy the space between familiar and bizarre. Inspired by the seventeenth century age of exploration and cabinets of curiosity, this series comes from place of discovery and wonder where insects, specimens and other objects come together and tell a story.

By interlacing art, science, and culture I explore the connection between man-made and natural objects; evoking a strong sense of nostalgia for the classic age of exploration and discovery.




Of War and Peace, The Truth Just Twists, It's Curfew Gull Just Glides a collection of paintings by André Hart
In the middle of lies and truth, the work embodies a painful awareness of maybe a social and personal outlook. The paintings–or more of a collection of stories–people know or should know around a plain and sometimes encrypted picture of the state of the world. Though I couldn't totally say what these stories are fully about in a more specific term, I like to keep things general but still obvious. I cannot self analyze my work to the fullest degree, but I could give some insight to it. In all, as an artist I could never single myself to one form of work or commit to a label, but I can assure the work is always with the intentions to bring much thought and insight.

Artists' Reception: Friday, April 6th, 7–11pm



featuring ambient and down tempo music provided by Mark Camp
(part of the South FIRST FRIDAYS art walk)

Exhibition Dates: April 6–27, 2012


88 South Fourth Street (@ San Fernando)
San Jose, CA
info@KALEIDGallery.com
408-947-1785
Gallery Hours: Tuesday - Saturday, noon -7pm, free admission