SAN JOSE, CA – A dozen top-flight international filmmakers today were dispatched to capture stories of the people who use technology to benefit humanity around the world, marking a new partnership between The Tech Awards and international film powerhouse Cinequest.
The 90-second films will be shown as part of Silicon Valley’s foremost technology awards program, The Tech Awards, presented by Applied Materials, in association with the Center for Science, Technology, and Society. A signature program of The Tech Museum, The Tech Awards recognizes 12 brilliant innovators who are changing the world with their technologies to eliminate hunger, do away with disease and combat illiteracy, among other global challenges.
The Cinequest partnership is neatly aligned with the goals of The Tech Awards, which seeks to raise awareness about the life-changing work that affects people from Uganda to Uruguay. Over the years, the 257 laureates of The Tech Awards have worked hard to erase stubborn global problems. Thanks to the international reach of Cinequest, these gripping stories will be relayed around the world.
“As we explored different ways to introduce The Tech Awards laureates this year, Cinequest's Film Festival and its Picture the Possibilities project caught our attention—and a new idea emerged,” David Whitman, vice president The Tech Awards. “Why not convey the compelling stories of the laureates this year through the lenses of 12 diverse, imaginative, and daring filmmakers associated with Cinequest? We pictured the possibilities. And now we're making them into a reality.”
Cinequest has paired a filmmaker with each of the 12 laureates to feature the laureates’ fieldwork and illustrate how their innovations help people most in need. The films will serve as a creative introduction for the nearly 1,500 attendees at the annual The Tech Awards gala November 15 at the Santa Clara Convention Center. After the gala, the films will be available for the laureates to share with media, potential partners and donors or those simply interested in learning more about their work. The films will also be posted on the museum’s website, along with those of past laureates. The top three will be screened during the Cinequest Film Festival, February 26 – March 10, 2013.
“Cinequest and The Tech Museum share a commitment to integrating creativity and innovation. It’s a pleasure to engage Cinequest filmmakers to honor the innovation and powerful work of this year’s laureates,” Halfdan Hussey, director and co-founder on Cinequest, said.
The inspiring work of the laureates has included designing earthquake-resistant construction technology to creating a heat-sensitive label for vaccine vials to make sure children receive potent immunizations to building a simple, low-cost, mobile phone-based device that allows remote monitoring and operation of irrigation pumps.
This year, the laureates will be honored in six categories: Intel Environment Award; Microsoft Education Award; The Swanson Foundation Young Innovator Award; Nokia Health Award; Flextronics Economic Development Award, and The Sustainable Energy Award. The James C. Morgan Global Humanitarian Award will be presented to Indian philanthropist N.R. Narayana Murthy, who founded tech services giant Infosys along with six colleagues and went on to become one of India’s most influential advocates for health care and rural development.
The following lists the filmmakers’ names and short biographies:
* Abbey Luck, Awesome + Modest
Abbey is a director and animator whose work has been featured at the Slamdance and Cinequest film festivals and in the feature film, Waiting for Superman. She produced music videos and commercials for General Electric, Gerber, Scion, Nokia, and AOL
*Lee Lanier, BeezleBug Bit
Lee is a leading animator and visual effects designer who has served as a senior animator at PDI/Dreamworks, taught at the Gnomon School of Visual Effects in Hollywood, authored six high-end animation and visual effects books, was featured at 200+ venues worldwide, and is the executive director of the Dam Short Film Festival
*Landon Zakheim, filmmaker
Landon is a short-film programmer for the Sundance Film Festival and a filmmaker whose short films, Delmer Builds A Machine and Another Bullet Dodged, have been featured at over 60 international film festivals around the world
*Mike Blum, Pipsquek Films & Blumayan Films
Mike is an Emmy-nominated and award-wining director, writer, and producer who owns and operates the Pipsquek Films animation studio and Blumayan Films. Mike’s projects include the Emmy-nominated series, The Adventures of Baxter & McGuire (Comedy Central); live-action feature, The Playback Singer; and recent series, Samurai! Daycare (SMOSH/Alloy Digital)
*Evan Mather, filmmaker
Evan is an independent filmmaker and landscape architect based in Los Angeles. His 2007 film,So What?, received the 2008 Communications Award of Honor from the American Society of Landscape Architects and he is a Graham Foundation recipient for his 2009 documentary, A Necessary Ruin
*Mary Skinner, 2B Productions
Mary directs and produces documentary films and corporate media. Her most recent project Irena Sendler: In the Name of Their Mothers, an official selection at this year’s UN Film Festival, was broadcast nationally on PBS and won the 2012 Gracie Award for outstanding documentary for, by, and about women
*Oliver Cukor, Sleeveless Productions, Inc
Oliver has combined his passions for film, music and new technologies to create stunningly visual and immersive experiences. He has produced, edited, and directed several award-winning films, two of which, Sleeveless Heart and Blue Road, have been shown at the Cinequest Film Festival
*Kavi Raz, K.R. Films Hollywood
Kavi is an award-winning actor, writer, producer, and director as well as the founder of his production company. His directorial debut film The Gold Bracelet has been screened at many prestigious film festivals and has garnered several awards
*Vijay Vanniarajan, Siren Song Creations
Vijay is a co-owner of Siren Song Creations, whose work has been featured on national television, Oprah.com, Deepak Chopra’s website, several film festivals, and has produced for companies such as Adobe, ESPN, NBC, Sentilla, Cinequest and Plug and Play. Paramount Pictures also distributed his documentary.
*Sean McCarthy, Guerilla Wanderers Films
Sean McCarthy is the founder and director of Guerilla Wanderers Films, an award-winning, full-service production company that specializes in film, commercials, corporate videos, and music videos. His short films, Superhero, Boxed Up and Raging Cyclist have received high recognition and awards at various film festivals throughout the United States
*Sidney Sherman with Cliff Schmidt
Sidney is the founder and CEO of Rosa Entertainment, an independent film/television production and management company. Sherman produced the IFC Films released Go Tigers!, which had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival and was an Academy Award Finalist and Independent Spirit Award nominee for Best Documentary Feature
*Thomas Mignone, filmmaker
Thomas is a leading filmmaker and music video director who has directed over 150 award-winning music videos for top industry artists and feature film, On the Doll, Thomas utilizes his electrical engineering background to fuse digital audio and video systems and technologies in his filmmaking
For learn more about The Tech Awards, click: http://thetechawards.thetech.org/
For more information about Cinequest, click: http://www.cinequest.org/indexCQ.php
About The Tech Museum
The Tech Museum is a hands-on technology and science museum for people of all ages and backgrounds. The museum—located in the Capital of Silicon Valley —is a non-profit learning resource established to engage people in exploring and experiencing technologies affecting their lives. Through programs such as The Tech Challenge presented by Cisco, our annual team-design competition for youth, and internationally renowned programs such as The Tech Awards presented by Applied Materials, The Tech Museum endeavors to inspire the innovator in everyone.
About Cinequest
CINEQUEST is a leading organization that fuses creativity with technological
innovation to empower, improve, and transform the lives of people and communities,
through Cinequest Picture the Possibilities (PTP), Cinequest Film Festival and Cinequest Mavericks Studio.
• CINEQUEST Film Festival (CQFF): showcases premier films, renowned
and emerging artists, and breakthrough technology—empowering global
connectivity between creators and innovators.
• CINEQUEST Picture The Possibilities (PTP): a transformative leadership
movement, where empowered youth create films expressing visions of a better
tomorrow that inspire global leaders to ignite change.
• PTP World Premiere Event during CQFF: multiple, simultaneous, worldwide
connections between media, business, entertainment, and political leaders where
interaction with PTP films and each other jump-start the ultimate realization of
these youthful visions for a better tomorrow.
Cinequest’s sister company, Cinequest Mavericks Studio LLC, produces, distributes
and markets innovative and transformative motion pictures.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Friday, September 14, 2012
[e]MERGE ZER01 Street Festival Today!!!
The largest ZER01 event is going on tonight in SoFA! You can look forward to nonstop entertainment, art, and San Jose culture from 6pm to midnight. If there was ever a day to grab all your friends and show them what Downtown could be like, this is it. All of the information is below and hope to see all of you there!
Join us in re-imagining San Jose’s SoFA District to look and feel how people imagine Silicon Valley to be. (e)MERGE is the ZERO1 Biennial street festival featuring outdoor projects by over 100 emerging artists whose innovative and experimental works engage with a range of exciting new technologies.
(e)MERGE Street Festival:
Friday September 14, 2012 from 6pm-Midnight
and Saturday September 15th from 11am-6pm
SoFA district in downtown San Jose
(on South First Street between San Carlos & Reed Streets)
Free Open to the public
FRIDAY SEPT 14th
12:00pm – Nick Lally's 1st bike tour of Silicon Valley leaves from Menlo Park Caltrain Station
6:45pm – Nick Lally's celebratory bicycle tour arrives in SoFA
6:50pm - Mike Lai's Sonic Kung Fu 2 begins on the street
7:00pm – Three Bodies Performance #1, 500 block, at MACLA Theater
7:15pm - UC Berkeley's Ashley Ferro-Murray & Erin Johnson perform Tulle/Tool in front of the San Jose Stage Company
7:50pm - Mike Lai's Sonic Kung Fu 2 performance begins on the Music Stage at Gore Park
8:00pm – Amy Alexander & Annina Rust's Discotrope: The Secret Nightlife of Solar Cells Set #1, junction of S. 1st Street & San Salvador
8:00pm – Three Bodies performance #2, 500 block at MACLA Theater
8:30pm – Micha Cardenas, Karen Anzoategui, Bianca Molina & Allison Wyper perform Local Autonomy Networks/Autonets, 400 block throughout S. 1st Street
9:00pm – Three Bodies performance #3, 500 block at MACLA Theater
9:15pm – Eve Warnock, Colin McDonald & Tina Matthews perform Denizen, from 300 S. 1st Street
9:30pm – Amy Alexander & Annina Rust SolarDisco 2nd set, intersection of S. 1st St. & San Carlos St.
10:00pm – Three Bodies performance #4, 500 block at MACLA Theater
10:15pm – UC Berkeley's Ashley Ferro-Murray and Erin Johnson performance #2, S. 1st Street in front of San Jose Stage Company
11:00pm – UCSD Disco 3nd set, junction of S. 1st Street & San Salvador
LIVE MUSIC SCHEDULE:
6:45pm April Chase http://www.facebook.com/aprilchasemusic
8:00pm French Cassettes http://frenchcassettes.bandcamp.com/
9:00pm The Blank Tapes http://www.theblanktapes.com/
10:00pm Seventeen Evergreen http://www.seventeenevergreen.com/
SATURDAY SEPT 15th
11:00am – 2nd bike tour of Silicon Valley with artist Nick Lally at his installation space at (e)MERGE
2:30pm – Slow Mail Mail Call at (e)MERGE Performance (Horses arrive at 2pm)
Learn More about the (e)MERGE Artists!
Also open late! Come see Biennial art exhibitions at the ZERO1 Garage (439 S. 1st Street) plus the Tech Museum, ICA, MACLA, San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles, WORKS/San Jose and more!
Join us in re-imagining San Jose’s SoFA District to look and feel how people imagine Silicon Valley to be. (e)MERGE is the ZERO1 Biennial street festival featuring outdoor projects by over 100 emerging artists whose innovative and experimental works engage with a range of exciting new technologies.
(e)MERGE Street Festival:
Friday September 14, 2012 from 6pm-Midnight
and Saturday September 15th from 11am-6pm
SoFA district in downtown San Jose
(on South First Street between San Carlos & Reed Streets)
Free Open to the public
FRIDAY SEPT 14th
12:00pm – Nick Lally's 1st bike tour of Silicon Valley leaves from Menlo Park Caltrain Station
6:45pm – Nick Lally's celebratory bicycle tour arrives in SoFA
6:50pm - Mike Lai's Sonic Kung Fu 2 begins on the street
7:00pm – Three Bodies Performance #1, 500 block, at MACLA Theater
7:15pm - UC Berkeley's Ashley Ferro-Murray & Erin Johnson perform Tulle/Tool in front of the San Jose Stage Company
7:50pm - Mike Lai's Sonic Kung Fu 2 performance begins on the Music Stage at Gore Park
8:00pm – Amy Alexander & Annina Rust's Discotrope: The Secret Nightlife of Solar Cells Set #1, junction of S. 1st Street & San Salvador
8:00pm – Three Bodies performance #2, 500 block at MACLA Theater
8:30pm – Micha Cardenas, Karen Anzoategui, Bianca Molina & Allison Wyper perform Local Autonomy Networks/Autonets, 400 block throughout S. 1st Street
9:00pm – Three Bodies performance #3, 500 block at MACLA Theater
9:15pm – Eve Warnock, Colin McDonald & Tina Matthews perform Denizen, from 300 S. 1st Street
9:30pm – Amy Alexander & Annina Rust SolarDisco 2nd set, intersection of S. 1st St. & San Carlos St.
10:00pm – Three Bodies performance #4, 500 block at MACLA Theater
10:15pm – UC Berkeley's Ashley Ferro-Murray and Erin Johnson performance #2, S. 1st Street in front of San Jose Stage Company
11:00pm – UCSD Disco 3nd set, junction of S. 1st Street & San Salvador
LIVE MUSIC SCHEDULE:
6:45pm April Chase http://www.facebook.com/aprilchasemusic
8:00pm French Cassettes http://frenchcassettes.bandcamp.com/
9:00pm The Blank Tapes http://www.theblanktapes.com/
10:00pm Seventeen Evergreen http://www.seventeenevergreen.com/
SATURDAY SEPT 15th
11:00am – 2nd bike tour of Silicon Valley with artist Nick Lally at his installation space at (e)MERGE
2:30pm – Slow Mail Mail Call at (e)MERGE Performance (Horses arrive at 2pm)
Learn More about the (e)MERGE Artists!
Also open late! Come see Biennial art exhibitions at the ZERO1 Garage (439 S. 1st Street) plus the Tech Museum, ICA, MACLA, San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles, WORKS/San Jose and more!
Thursday, September 13, 2012
ZER01 is Here!
Tonight officially kicks off ZER01 and you won't want to miss it! To see the full list of events, check out the events calendar over here. The largest event by far is going to be the street festival in SoFA tomorrow. It's going to be like a South First Friday injected with a steroid cannon and will no doubt be one of the best Downtown events of 2012!
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Review: The Death of the Novel @ The San Jose Rep
The 2012-2013 show season at the San Jose Repertory Theatre has begun! And what a great show to start it off with!
I attended opening night of The Death of the Novel by Jonathan Marc Feldman and directed by the Rep's Rick Lombardo and for me, it was quite the treat.
The play is about a young author who has experienced several heartbreaking losses throughout his life. Set shortly post-9/11 (with references within the play) New York, this man, Sebastian Justice, suffers from agoraphobia - he doesn't leave his New York apartment. Despite not leaving, thanks to his long time friend, he is able to meet an exotic and seemingly interesting woman, Sheba. Mixed in with words of sound logical advice (he chooses not to take, stubborn one that he is) from his psychologist, Samantha Cray, the story takes an interesting turn.
My husband and I talked more about this show than we have over the last handful we've seen together. We're in our thirties and can relate to some of the topics brought up. I for one, felt a strong connection to the feelings Justice discussed as he reflected on the losses he had, one after another. A quote stuck in my head… "a clown car of tragedies". I'm sure many can relate…
The Set:
I love the set; design was a sleek furnished New York apartment with stylish modern furniture. Technically speaking - once again the Rep added their flair - the set rotated! Perfect way to bring you into another room. One of the other technical aspects (perhaps more along the lines of the sound department) that stood out for me was when someone opened the sliding glass door to the balcony, you'd hear the sounds of the New York streets below. Light horns honking, people talking, a whispy breeze -- great touches, Rep. They didn't go unnoticed!
The Music:
The music?! Wait this wasn't a musical - however, in a surprising moment, it played a lot like a music video or a montage in the middle of a film or television show. I don't want to give it all way, but it was an interesting touch and got the message across perfectly.
The Actors:
Saving the best for last! The entire cast consisted of just five actors; and they were all captivating and moving in their own way. Vincent Kartheiser and Vaishnavi Sharma wowed the audience with their energy and outstanding ability to deliver lines upon lines of fast moving dialogue. There was a scene right after intermission that literally had me holding my breath because Sharma was talking so fast!
My husband and I lingered about during the Afters! party in hopes to meet some of the actors in the show. Fangirl confession: I'm a huge Buffy/Angel fan, and Vincent portrayed Angel's son in a couple of seasons. I was determined to meet him and hopefully get a photo. Another fangirl confession: Amy Pietz! I was so excited to find out she was going to be part of this production. Why? Because back in the day, I used to watch Caroline in the City. It was an adorable and hilarious little sitcom in the 90s. Anyway.. silliness aside, I really wanted to meet her too.
We chatted for a bit with an older couple about the show, about the topics of death and our shared enthusiasm for the powerful acting. They noted that often the audience is a little older group, but they've been seeing a change. I agree -- I think the topical shows that The San Jose Repertory are choosing have started to attract new, younger audiences.
I think the mix of the Hollywood ties (Kartheiser and Pietz) along with the topics explored in this show, a younger crowd would definitely find themselves being entertained. That of course, applies to those that don't normally attend this avenue of entertainment.
Well after a few minutes my inner fangirl was pleased! I got to meet Amy Pietz and Vincent Kartheiser, chat with them a smidge and get some photos.
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| Adam (hubby) and I with Amy Pietz |
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| Vincent Kartheiser and me |
Now it's your turn - go see the show!
Runs through September 22, 2012
Downtown San Jose Restaurant List Updates! (Q3 2012 Edition)
It has been a while since I updated the Downtown San Jose Restaurants database, but I now think everything is up to date (if not please let me know). We are now up to 227 eateries, which is Downtown's new record!
First off, some bad news. Morocco's--which used to be my favorite restaurant Downtown--is now only open in Mountain View. They are looking for a new location in the San Jose area but don't have any sort of timeline. Blendz is also closed.
Now the good news. 5 brand new eateries with 4.5 star yelp reviews!
Oh but there is more. Little Cheese Shop is now open in the San Pedro Square Market, offering the best cheeses you can find in the South Bay along with gourmet spreads, crackers, and exotic beverages. Whipps is now Cafe Bonne Terre, they still have frozen fruit desserts but have added crepes to the menu. Shellena's Cafe in SoFA is now Just Hot Dogs.
As for the latest status update on my mission to eat at every single restaurant in Downtown San Jose... I'm at 209 out of 227, or 92%. It is now becoming very difficult to try new places with so many amazing restaurants I want to go back to again and again.
Below is the changelog from the Downtown San Jose Restaurants Database:
First off, some bad news. Morocco's--which used to be my favorite restaurant Downtown--is now only open in Mountain View. They are looking for a new location in the San Jose area but don't have any sort of timeline. Blendz is also closed.
Now the good news. 5 brand new eateries with 4.5 star yelp reviews!
- Original Gravity House - OMG, epic new addition Downtown. 20 craft beers on tab that are constantly changing, home-made gourmet sausages, duck-fat fries, gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches... oh did I mention the 20 craft beers on tap?
- Back A Yard - Carribean restaurant where Gumbo Jumbo used to be, over 100 Yelp reviews already.
- Dosa & Curry - New Indian/Pakistani restaurant where Los Gallos De Villa used to be, right by SJSU.
- Zenon's Place - Reinvention of Nazca Peruvian on San Fernando
- Devine Grind - New Coffee Shop and breakfast place on Devine and 2nd Streets
Oh but there is more. Little Cheese Shop is now open in the San Pedro Square Market, offering the best cheeses you can find in the South Bay along with gourmet spreads, crackers, and exotic beverages. Whipps is now Cafe Bonne Terre, they still have frozen fruit desserts but have added crepes to the menu. Shellena's Cafe in SoFA is now Just Hot Dogs.
As for the latest status update on my mission to eat at every single restaurant in Downtown San Jose... I'm at 209 out of 227, or 92%. It is now becoming very difficult to try new places with so many amazing restaurants I want to go back to again and again.
Below is the changelog from the Downtown San Jose Restaurants Database:
- 2/26/2012 Added Sa-By Thai in SoFA
- 2/26/2012 Replaced Miro's with the Hyatt Place Bakery Cafe
- 4/7/2012 Added Cre-Paris and Blush to the list (new San Pedro Square Market restaurants)
- 9/9/2012 Added Morocco's to the Closed DTSJ Restaurants list (rent was too high).
- 9/9/2012 Added Blendz to the Closed DTSJ Restaurants list
- 9/9/2012 Added Back a Yard Restaurant
- 9/9/2012 Added Yelp information to Original Gravity Public House
- 9/9/2012 Added Devine Grind on Devine and 2nd Streets
- 9/9/2012 Added Little Cheese Shoppe in the San Pedro Square Market
- 9/9/2012 Replaced Nazca with Zenon's Place
- 9/9/2012 Replaced Whipps with Cafe Bonne Terre
- 9/9/2012 Replaced Los Gallos De Villa with Doza & Curry
- 9/9/2012 Replaced Shellena's Cafe with Just Hot Dogs
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.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
9/11 Memorial and Flame-Lighting Ceremony, 9am @ Memorial Park
Memorial and Flame-Lighting Ceremony
Tuesday, September 11 beginning at 9 a.m.
Oak Hill Funeral Home and Memorial Park
Oak Hill Memorial Park will host a memorial flame-lighting ceremony on Tuesday, September 11 at 9 a.m. and again at 6 p.m. at the 9/11 monument inside Oak Hill Memorial Park. The two ceremonies will signify the events of that day eleven years ago.
The memorial flame will be lighted for this day only at ceremonies close to the exact time of the fall of the twin towers on that day in New York City. The first tower was hit at exactly 8:46 a.m. and burned for 103 minutes, collapsing at 9:59 a.m. The second tower collapsed at 10:28 a.m. Almost simultaneously in Shanksville, PA, Flight 93 went down at 10:08 a.m. Within 30 minutes the Pentagon in Washington D.C. was hit by an aircraft.
“The defining moments of September 11 deserve to be honored and respected in perpetuity,” said Brian Kestenblatt, General Manager of Oak Hill Funeral Home and Memorial Park. “It is appropriate that the heroism from that day be forever remembered, and that we pause and reflect how people came together on that day eleven years ago.”
The 9/11 monument at Oak Hill Cemetery was designed in remembrance of loved ones lost during the 9/11 tragedy and includes a depiction of Flight 93 that went down in Pennsylvania, as well as a pentagon, depicting the damage done on that day in Washington D.C.
The public is invited to honor, support and love those who sacrificed their lives, who had the courage to help others and the strength to live on. Both ceremonies are free and open to the public, at 9 a.m. or 6 p.m.
The theme of coming together as a community will be reflected in this ceremony. The lighting of the ceremonial flame will occur at the 9/11 memorial at Oak Hill Cemetery for all to salute.
Oak Hill Funeral Home and Memorial Park is located at 300 Curtner Avenue at Monterey Highway in San José. For more information call 408.297. 2447. Parking will be available throughout the park.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Santana Row - 10 Year Anniversary
November 7th, 2012 is going to be a major milestone for Santana Row as it will mark the project's 10th year of existence. I remember those early days leading up to the grand opening well. Much like the San Pedro Square Market has been my favorite project of 2011/2012, back in the early 2000s I was watching Santana Row like a hawk. Well before SR opened its doors I was taking hard-hat tours, researching Federal Realty, and hunting for any available news on what retail was coming.
On August 19th, 2002 I was in London and just as I was getting out of the shower I heard something on TV about a huge fire engulfing an under-construction project in Northern California. Sure enough, it was Santana Row. The news definitely put a crimp in my vacation.
In early November that year, I snuck into Federal Realty's investor preview party with a college friend. Despite the fire they were still opening, and the finished product looked phenomenal--truly unlike any Silicon Valley project I have ever seen before. While only a handful of retail shops and a single restaurant (!) were scheduled to be part of the grand opening, I got the overall vision of what Santana Row could become. I went home, and immediately made plans to move whatever little stock I had at the time to Federal Realty, which ended up becoming the best investment I ever made.
Over the next two years I was at Santana Row at least two or three times a week. Everyone at Blowfish knew me by name and I dragged all my friends there every weekend for drinks. Any out of town guest that came to visit me would get a thorough tour and history lesson of every block in the Row (...did you know that is a real church steeple imported from Italy serving as the entrance to the flower shop?).
Flash forward to 2012, and you have what is undoubtedly the most successful mixed-use project in the United States, with constant activity 7 days a week, flagship retailers, and restaurant revenue per sqft that rivals the busiest streets in New York. The scary thing is it will probably get even busier over the next 2-3 years.
Now it's time to take a look back at the history of Santana Row with the press release below. There will be some special events to commemorate the 10 year anniversary, so stay tuned closer to Nov 7th!
Silicon Valley’s, Mixed-Use Development Still Booms A Decade Later Santana Row plays its part in Silicon Valley’s current economic resurgence
San Jose, CA (July 5, 2012) - Federal Realty, which helped spearhead the interest among developers in urban Main Street mixed-use environments opened one of the most ambitious projects of its kind in the United States when it developed the $450 million, 42-acre mixed use village-within-a-city, Santana Row. Last year alone, this development contributed approximately $24 million in sales tax revenue for the city of San Jose and Federal Realty has paid $40 million in property taxes since purchasing the land in 1997. Santana Row is a residential, office, shopping, dining, and entertainment district built around a main street in San Jose, California. The size and scope of Santana Row make it Federal Realty's largest development to date and one of the nation's largest mixed-use projects constructed by a single developer.
A decade after opening, and celebrating its 10 year anniversary on November 7th 2012, Santana Row is firmly established as a thriving shopping and dining destination, combining office, residential and a 5-star hotel. The shopping center boasts a lofty 30,000 visitors a day, both local and global, and has created a sense of place in Silicon Valley. Santana Row ranked third among the top 10 local searches by San Francisco residents in 2011, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Santana Row's pedestrian-friendly sidewalks consistently draw a desirable demographic of shoppers and diners. The location on the corner of Winchester and Stevens Creek Boulevards in San Jose is what attracted Federal Realty to this project. It is one of the most affluent areas in the country with the average household income more than $94,000 and visitors from Asia and Europe are increasingly spending time and money at Santana Row.
With 70 shops and boutiques, average tenant sales since opening have increased 50% from $400 to $600 per sq ft, reaching levels comparable to the top fortress malls in the US. With over 20 restaurants, total food sales are approaching $100 million, with sit down restaurant sales over $900 per sq ft,, as, or more, productive than restaurants in the country’s top urban locations. As sales increase, so does the revenue generated for the city of San Jose. In step with Silicon Valley's current economic resurgence, Santana Row’s upscale, 403 residential units are highly sought after, and its office space is fully leased to a diverse mix of businesses that value the campus-like amenities the property offers. Federal Realty is underway with a multiphase, $300 million expansion.
“The combination of our close proximity to high‐quality Silicon Valley neighborhoods and the richly varied offerings of Santana Row make this an exciting place to live and work. As a result, our existing office and residential space is currently 100% leased and we continue to receive significant interest from the market says Jan Sweetnam, Vice President, West Coast Chief Operating Officer, Federal Realty Investment Trust.”
Santana Row’s amenities include 20 restaurants, a Club One Fitness Center, two parks, two plazas, Hotel Valencia, 403 luxury rental apartments, 219 residential condominiums, nine spas and salons, on-going events including high-profile fashion shows as well as a wide range of high quality retail shops.
Expansion plans include a resort-style residential community of 212 rental homes, expected to be completed fall 2013. The addition of this residential community will bring the total number of rental homes at Santana Row to 615 which, along with 219 privately owned condos that Federal Realty sold in 2005-6, bring the total number of on-site residents to approximately 1,500. Plans are also being finalized for a Class-A Technology Office Building, to be built on at the corner of Winchester Boulevard and Olsen Avenue. The six‐story tower will house approximately 220,000 square feet of office area along with over 600 parking spaces. The office space is designed with large, open 36,000 square foot floor plates and ceiling heights over 13’ tall to provide superior natural light and is expected to receive LEED Gold certification. The building’s location on Winchester Boulevard in Santana Row provides easy access to and from Highways I‐280, I‐880 and 17. Plans are also being formulated for a “capstone building” at the end of Santana Row which will include a signature plaza, office and retail space, and below-grade parking.
History
Santana Row's history is as spectacular as its Mediterranean-influenced architectural design, lushly landscaped parks and array of shopping, dining and living choices.
Exactly a month before it was slated to open, an 11-alarm fire raged through the largest structure, destroying 538,000 square feet of retail space and housing units. The Aug. 19, 2002 fire was the largest in San Jose history and cast doubt on the development, conceived during the era of the Internet bubble when Silicon Valley's rising income, influx of new residents and tech dominance seemed endless.
Santana Row was envisioned during those boom years as an upscale neighborhood of shopping and living, with a charming main street and central courtyard, restaurants, theaters and a hotel. It was deemed a "smart growth" strategy for the city and then-Mayor Ron Gonzales was confident in its future.
Construction began in the summer of 2000 at the tired and dated shopping center formerly known as Town & Country Village. Despite the growing shadow of an economic downturn, the project continued, buoyed by statistics that showed the San Jose metropolitan area was still spending above the national average and ranked second in the U.S. in median household income, according to Claritas/Market Statistics. At the same time, the area's large concentration of Asian and Asian Americans and their well-known penchant for designer goods made Santana Row a desirable draw for high-end retailers. “An obsession with quality, aesthetics and brand loyalty seems to define many Asian customers and that should bode well for certain Santana Row shops”, said C. Britt Beemer, founder and senior retail analyst at America's Research Group.
80 days after the Aug. 19th fire, Santana Row opened on Nov. 7 in the midst of the 2002 holiday season with a mix of 35 local retailers and luxury brand stores that included BCBG Max Azria, Gucci, Sur La table, Diesel and Anne Fontaine. Also on The Row: art galleries, salons and restaurants such Left Bank Brasserie and Straits, which had other popular Bay Area locations and saw growth opportunity at this new location. In a short time, it was compared to Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills by The Robb Report, the global luxury lifestyle magazine.
Shortly after opening in January of 2003, the boutique, 212-room Hotel Valencia opened. Hotel Valencia now attracts nearly 80,000 business, group and leisure travelers annually. Momentum continued to thrive and regional and national coverage of Santana Row attracted additional tenants including big box retailer, The Container Store in fall of 2003 and a six-screen CineArts Cinema in 2004. By the end of September 2004, 92 percent of Santana Row’s retail space was leased to 115 tenants with 101 stores open and operating.
Santana Row began the sale of their 219 residential condos in late 2005. The total gross sales proceeds were approximately $153 million with sell-out completed in 2006.
In 2007, H&M opened their first south bay location at Santana Row.
In April of 2008, Santana Row broke ground on 300 Santana Row, 65,000 sq ft of Class A office space and 15,000 sq ft of ground floor retail. The building received LEED gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council and is 100% occupied, providing over 250 on-site employees daily to Santana Row. In 2010, Santana Row was awarded the Project of the Decade by the Silicon Valley Business Journal and was given a new media maxi award by the International Council of Shopping Centers for its iPhone application. In April of 2010, Santana Row began construction on 108 luxury rental homes. Within 6 months after completion in October of 2011, the community was 100 percent leased.
Today, Santana Row is a 1.5 million square foot mixed use community that houses 622 residential homes, over 350 office employees, 70 shops and boutiques, 20 restaurants, 9 spas and salons, CineArts movie theatre and the Hotel Valencia. Federal Realty has developed the ultimate neighborhood to live, work and play and the community has embraced this concept for both economic and social reasons. Tenants include a Tesla Motors showroom; Eyeona, a tech start-up; and soon to open a new, two-story 27,570 square foot H&M store reflects its firm place in Silicon Valley as a must-visit destination for locals and visitors in the San Francisco Bay Area.
About Federal Realty
In 2012, Federal Realty celebrates 50 years of being a proven leader in the ownership, operation, and redevelopment of high quality retail real estate in the country’s best markets. Federal Realty's portfolio (excluding joint venture properties) contains approximately 19.2 million square feet located primarily in strategically selected metropolitan markets in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, as well as in California. In addition, the Trust has an ownership interest in approximately 1.0 million square feet of retail space through a joint venture in which the Trust has a 30% interest. Our operating portfolio (excluding joint venture properties) was 93.8% leased to national, regional, and local retailers as of March 31, 2012, with no single tenant accounting for more than approximately 2.5% of annualized base rent. Federal Realty has paid quarterly dividends to its shareholders continuously since its founding in 1962, and has increased its dividend rate for 44 consecutive years, the longest record in the REIT industry. Federal Realty is an S&P MidCap 400 company and its shares are traded on the NYSE under the symbol FRT. For more information, please visit www.federalrealty.com.
On August 19th, 2002 I was in London and just as I was getting out of the shower I heard something on TV about a huge fire engulfing an under-construction project in Northern California. Sure enough, it was Santana Row. The news definitely put a crimp in my vacation.
In early November that year, I snuck into Federal Realty's investor preview party with a college friend. Despite the fire they were still opening, and the finished product looked phenomenal--truly unlike any Silicon Valley project I have ever seen before. While only a handful of retail shops and a single restaurant (!) were scheduled to be part of the grand opening, I got the overall vision of what Santana Row could become. I went home, and immediately made plans to move whatever little stock I had at the time to Federal Realty, which ended up becoming the best investment I ever made.
Over the next two years I was at Santana Row at least two or three times a week. Everyone at Blowfish knew me by name and I dragged all my friends there every weekend for drinks. Any out of town guest that came to visit me would get a thorough tour and history lesson of every block in the Row (...did you know that is a real church steeple imported from Italy serving as the entrance to the flower shop?).
Flash forward to 2012, and you have what is undoubtedly the most successful mixed-use project in the United States, with constant activity 7 days a week, flagship retailers, and restaurant revenue per sqft that rivals the busiest streets in New York. The scary thing is it will probably get even busier over the next 2-3 years.
Now it's time to take a look back at the history of Santana Row with the press release below. There will be some special events to commemorate the 10 year anniversary, so stay tuned closer to Nov 7th!
Silicon Valley’s, Mixed-Use Development Still Booms A Decade Later Santana Row plays its part in Silicon Valley’s current economic resurgence
San Jose, CA (July 5, 2012) - Federal Realty, which helped spearhead the interest among developers in urban Main Street mixed-use environments opened one of the most ambitious projects of its kind in the United States when it developed the $450 million, 42-acre mixed use village-within-a-city, Santana Row. Last year alone, this development contributed approximately $24 million in sales tax revenue for the city of San Jose and Federal Realty has paid $40 million in property taxes since purchasing the land in 1997. Santana Row is a residential, office, shopping, dining, and entertainment district built around a main street in San Jose, California. The size and scope of Santana Row make it Federal Realty's largest development to date and one of the nation's largest mixed-use projects constructed by a single developer.
A decade after opening, and celebrating its 10 year anniversary on November 7th 2012, Santana Row is firmly established as a thriving shopping and dining destination, combining office, residential and a 5-star hotel. The shopping center boasts a lofty 30,000 visitors a day, both local and global, and has created a sense of place in Silicon Valley. Santana Row ranked third among the top 10 local searches by San Francisco residents in 2011, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Santana Row's pedestrian-friendly sidewalks consistently draw a desirable demographic of shoppers and diners. The location on the corner of Winchester and Stevens Creek Boulevards in San Jose is what attracted Federal Realty to this project. It is one of the most affluent areas in the country with the average household income more than $94,000 and visitors from Asia and Europe are increasingly spending time and money at Santana Row.
With 70 shops and boutiques, average tenant sales since opening have increased 50% from $400 to $600 per sq ft, reaching levels comparable to the top fortress malls in the US. With over 20 restaurants, total food sales are approaching $100 million, with sit down restaurant sales over $900 per sq ft,, as, or more, productive than restaurants in the country’s top urban locations. As sales increase, so does the revenue generated for the city of San Jose. In step with Silicon Valley's current economic resurgence, Santana Row’s upscale, 403 residential units are highly sought after, and its office space is fully leased to a diverse mix of businesses that value the campus-like amenities the property offers. Federal Realty is underway with a multiphase, $300 million expansion.
“The combination of our close proximity to high‐quality Silicon Valley neighborhoods and the richly varied offerings of Santana Row make this an exciting place to live and work. As a result, our existing office and residential space is currently 100% leased and we continue to receive significant interest from the market says Jan Sweetnam, Vice President, West Coast Chief Operating Officer, Federal Realty Investment Trust.”
Santana Row’s amenities include 20 restaurants, a Club One Fitness Center, two parks, two plazas, Hotel Valencia, 403 luxury rental apartments, 219 residential condominiums, nine spas and salons, on-going events including high-profile fashion shows as well as a wide range of high quality retail shops.
Expansion plans include a resort-style residential community of 212 rental homes, expected to be completed fall 2013. The addition of this residential community will bring the total number of rental homes at Santana Row to 615 which, along with 219 privately owned condos that Federal Realty sold in 2005-6, bring the total number of on-site residents to approximately 1,500. Plans are also being finalized for a Class-A Technology Office Building, to be built on at the corner of Winchester Boulevard and Olsen Avenue. The six‐story tower will house approximately 220,000 square feet of office area along with over 600 parking spaces. The office space is designed with large, open 36,000 square foot floor plates and ceiling heights over 13’ tall to provide superior natural light and is expected to receive LEED Gold certification. The building’s location on Winchester Boulevard in Santana Row provides easy access to and from Highways I‐280, I‐880 and 17. Plans are also being formulated for a “capstone building” at the end of Santana Row which will include a signature plaza, office and retail space, and below-grade parking.
History
Santana Row's history is as spectacular as its Mediterranean-influenced architectural design, lushly landscaped parks and array of shopping, dining and living choices.
Exactly a month before it was slated to open, an 11-alarm fire raged through the largest structure, destroying 538,000 square feet of retail space and housing units. The Aug. 19, 2002 fire was the largest in San Jose history and cast doubt on the development, conceived during the era of the Internet bubble when Silicon Valley's rising income, influx of new residents and tech dominance seemed endless.
Santana Row was envisioned during those boom years as an upscale neighborhood of shopping and living, with a charming main street and central courtyard, restaurants, theaters and a hotel. It was deemed a "smart growth" strategy for the city and then-Mayor Ron Gonzales was confident in its future.
Construction began in the summer of 2000 at the tired and dated shopping center formerly known as Town & Country Village. Despite the growing shadow of an economic downturn, the project continued, buoyed by statistics that showed the San Jose metropolitan area was still spending above the national average and ranked second in the U.S. in median household income, according to Claritas/Market Statistics. At the same time, the area's large concentration of Asian and Asian Americans and their well-known penchant for designer goods made Santana Row a desirable draw for high-end retailers. “An obsession with quality, aesthetics and brand loyalty seems to define many Asian customers and that should bode well for certain Santana Row shops”, said C. Britt Beemer, founder and senior retail analyst at America's Research Group.
80 days after the Aug. 19th fire, Santana Row opened on Nov. 7 in the midst of the 2002 holiday season with a mix of 35 local retailers and luxury brand stores that included BCBG Max Azria, Gucci, Sur La table, Diesel and Anne Fontaine. Also on The Row: art galleries, salons and restaurants such Left Bank Brasserie and Straits, which had other popular Bay Area locations and saw growth opportunity at this new location. In a short time, it was compared to Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills by The Robb Report, the global luxury lifestyle magazine.
Shortly after opening in January of 2003, the boutique, 212-room Hotel Valencia opened. Hotel Valencia now attracts nearly 80,000 business, group and leisure travelers annually. Momentum continued to thrive and regional and national coverage of Santana Row attracted additional tenants including big box retailer, The Container Store in fall of 2003 and a six-screen CineArts Cinema in 2004. By the end of September 2004, 92 percent of Santana Row’s retail space was leased to 115 tenants with 101 stores open and operating.
Santana Row began the sale of their 219 residential condos in late 2005. The total gross sales proceeds were approximately $153 million with sell-out completed in 2006.
In 2007, H&M opened their first south bay location at Santana Row.
In April of 2008, Santana Row broke ground on 300 Santana Row, 65,000 sq ft of Class A office space and 15,000 sq ft of ground floor retail. The building received LEED gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council and is 100% occupied, providing over 250 on-site employees daily to Santana Row. In 2010, Santana Row was awarded the Project of the Decade by the Silicon Valley Business Journal and was given a new media maxi award by the International Council of Shopping Centers for its iPhone application. In April of 2010, Santana Row began construction on 108 luxury rental homes. Within 6 months after completion in October of 2011, the community was 100 percent leased.
Today, Santana Row is a 1.5 million square foot mixed use community that houses 622 residential homes, over 350 office employees, 70 shops and boutiques, 20 restaurants, 9 spas and salons, CineArts movie theatre and the Hotel Valencia. Federal Realty has developed the ultimate neighborhood to live, work and play and the community has embraced this concept for both economic and social reasons. Tenants include a Tesla Motors showroom; Eyeona, a tech start-up; and soon to open a new, two-story 27,570 square foot H&M store reflects its firm place in Silicon Valley as a must-visit destination for locals and visitors in the San Francisco Bay Area.
About Federal Realty
In 2012, Federal Realty celebrates 50 years of being a proven leader in the ownership, operation, and redevelopment of high quality retail real estate in the country’s best markets. Federal Realty's portfolio (excluding joint venture properties) contains approximately 19.2 million square feet located primarily in strategically selected metropolitan markets in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, as well as in California. In addition, the Trust has an ownership interest in approximately 1.0 million square feet of retail space through a joint venture in which the Trust has a 30% interest. Our operating portfolio (excluding joint venture properties) was 93.8% leased to national, regional, and local retailers as of March 31, 2012, with no single tenant accounting for more than approximately 2.5% of annualized base rent. Federal Realty has paid quarterly dividends to its shareholders continuously since its founding in 1962, and has increased its dividend rate for 44 consecutive years, the longest record in the REIT industry. Federal Realty is an S&P MidCap 400 company and its shares are traded on the NYSE under the symbol FRT. For more information, please visit www.federalrealty.com.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
New Interactive Art at The Tech!
The Tech is about to get a new interactive exhibit courtesy of Zero1 and they are doing a special opening with the artists. To learn more, just keep reading or click here.
Be part of our opening of the new art installation Resolution
A newly commissioned work by Zigelbaum + Coelho
Part of the Zero1 2012 Biennial Program
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
General Reception, beverages and hors d'oeuvres: 7:00 - 7:30 p.m.
No host bar
Artists' Talk: 7:30 - 8:30 p.m.
$10.00 / $5.00 for members.
Buy tickets now.
Join contemporary art duo Zigelbaum + Coelho for the opening of Resolution, their newly commissioned work at The Tech Museum. The artists will introduce this new highly interactive and social piece with a talk describing the state of the art in materials and practices in tangible media. Learn how emerging forms of "computational materials" will allow visitors to explore, play, and create dynamic light compositions from the piece's 200 magnetic, physical pixels.
Artists' Talk:
Zigelbaum + Coelho
"Computational Materials"
A new class of objects has emerged — viscerally interactive and embedded with computational tools. As computers permeate whole new ecologies of connected physical objects, the language of interaction now finds itself entirely intertwined with tangible things.
In this presentation, polymath art duo Zigelbaum + Coelho will describe their approach to the physicality of computation. Discover how new modes of interaction are enabling the human body to become an integral part of the computation and communication process. Learn how materials with embedded computing are permeating human interaction — at micro and macro levels — and how this is reshaping the art, design, and technology trichotomy.
From the Artists:
In this world one can program computers to display patterns of light by using a series of tools to modify the electrical flow across doped silicon and one can program copper to display a green patina by applying acetic acid and a healthy dose of waiting around. Both of these programmatic behaviors have components that could be considered digital or analog. The polarized light seeping through the liquid crystal gateways enabling our ubiquitous display surfaces is as analog as any glimmer of sun off a car hood and the chemical mechanism of verdigris, some discrete changes of electron configuration across orbitals during oxidization, is as digital as the pits and valleys encoding music on the active surface of the 1986 compact disc pressing of Kraftwerk’s Computerwelt.
We look forward to discussing our practice and the debut of our new permanent piece for The Tech Museum and Zero1: Resolution.
For more event information please email info@thetech.org or call (408) 294-8324.
The Tech Silicon Valley Innovation Gallery
The Tech Museum
201 South Market Street
San Jose, CA 95113
Be part of our opening of the new art installation Resolution
A newly commissioned work by Zigelbaum + Coelho
Part of the Zero1 2012 Biennial Program
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
General Reception, beverages and hors d'oeuvres: 7:00 - 7:30 p.m.
No host bar
Artists' Talk: 7:30 - 8:30 p.m.
$10.00 / $5.00 for members.
Buy tickets now.
Join contemporary art duo Zigelbaum + Coelho for the opening of Resolution, their newly commissioned work at The Tech Museum. The artists will introduce this new highly interactive and social piece with a talk describing the state of the art in materials and practices in tangible media. Learn how emerging forms of "computational materials" will allow visitors to explore, play, and create dynamic light compositions from the piece's 200 magnetic, physical pixels.
Artists' Talk:
Zigelbaum + Coelho
"Computational Materials"
A new class of objects has emerged — viscerally interactive and embedded with computational tools. As computers permeate whole new ecologies of connected physical objects, the language of interaction now finds itself entirely intertwined with tangible things.
In this presentation, polymath art duo Zigelbaum + Coelho will describe their approach to the physicality of computation. Discover how new modes of interaction are enabling the human body to become an integral part of the computation and communication process. Learn how materials with embedded computing are permeating human interaction — at micro and macro levels — and how this is reshaping the art, design, and technology trichotomy.
From the Artists:
In this world one can program computers to display patterns of light by using a series of tools to modify the electrical flow across doped silicon and one can program copper to display a green patina by applying acetic acid and a healthy dose of waiting around. Both of these programmatic behaviors have components that could be considered digital or analog. The polarized light seeping through the liquid crystal gateways enabling our ubiquitous display surfaces is as analog as any glimmer of sun off a car hood and the chemical mechanism of verdigris, some discrete changes of electron configuration across orbitals during oxidization, is as digital as the pits and valleys encoding music on the active surface of the 1986 compact disc pressing of Kraftwerk’s Computerwelt.
We look forward to discussing our practice and the debut of our new permanent piece for The Tech Museum and Zero1: Resolution.
For more event information please email info@thetech.org or call (408) 294-8324.
The Tech Silicon Valley Innovation Gallery
The Tech Museum
201 South Market Street
San Jose, CA 95113
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Saturday Stats: San Jose Leads in Professional Services Pay
San Jose achieves yet another 1st place on a salary comparison, this time for best paying regions for professional services. By professional services we are talking law firms, advertising agencies, accounting firms, scientific research, and most forms of consulting. The numbers weren't even close... San Jose came in at a staggering $115,500 average salary, $15k higher than silver medalist Oxnard, almost $20k higher than our neighbors in the north, and $25k higher than the New York metro. Now the goal is figuring out how to keep as much of that income in the South Bay instead of having it travel elsewhere.
Source: SJBJ
- San Jose Metro - $111,500
- Oxnard Metro - $96,000
- Boston Metro - $95,700
- Washington Metro - $93,600
- San Francisco Metro - $92,800
- Bridgeport Metro - $92,800
- New York Metro - $86,800
- Boulder - $84,500
- Houston Metro - $82,300
- Durham - $82,100
Source: SJBJ
Friday, September 7, 2012
South FIRST FRIDAYS Art Walk + STREET MRKT Tonight!
from Phantom Galleries
South FIRST FRIDAYS Art Walk + STREET MRKT
Friday, SEPT 7th, 7pm–11pm!
Free & open to the public.
A self-guided evening tour through galleries, museums, and independent creative businesses featuring 18 venues that participate by presenting exciting art exhibitions and / or special performances. In addition to the monthly art walk, September 7th is the nighttime urban faire STREET MRKT that brings together over 40 local artists, creative indie vendors, a special performance by Cielo Vertical Arts and a live music stage with performances by the Ferocious Few, Drop Dead Sixty and Dirty Pillows out on South First Street (between San Carlos and San Salvador streets.)
Street Mrkt participating artists / creatives:
17jewels, 57-33 Clothing, Anointed Apparel, Becca’s Studio, Betwixt, Sandi Billingsley, Blue Dream Project, Boombotix, Mchael Borja, Bugs & Monsters, Keith Bunnell, Buttons by Maria, David Canavese, Cielo Vertical Arts, Crossroads Trading, Death Before Dishonor, Devil Rose Vintage, Francisco Franco, Galactic Romance Clothing, Emo Gonzales, GoodLifeRoots, Ike Greca, Cynthia Gonzales, Andre Hart, Jumbo Jibbles, Matt Lopez, Luna Chalk Arts Fest, Frances Marin, Mejia Arts, LAuruS Myth, Jose Nunez, Old Souls Clothing, Out of Print Vintage, Poetry Center San Jose, Al Preciado, Steven Reece, Rock N The Trend, Matthew Bailey Seigel SLG/Art Boutiki, Social Villains, Tacti Design, TechShop SJ, Visual Confections, Wadl and Zatoon Clothing
In addition to wonderful restaurants and cafés in the SoFA district, the Grilled Cheese Bandits, MoGo BBQ, O Mi Ninja, Quick Dog, Scoopy SJ and the WoW Truck will be on site in the parking lot next to Anno Domini Gallery.
For full listing of events and more information: please visit http://www.SouthFirstFridays.com/ or call 408-271-5155
Slow Mail
More information on the Zero1 events is trickling out and this one seems particularly interesting. The project is called Slow Mail and it's a mix of the western pre-railroad era and the early days of the internet. It's essentially a relay of horses and riders that are going to deliver physical letters between Menlo Park and Los Angeles, with the key stop being in Downtown San Jose. They are doing a pilot ride on September 12th between Menlo Park and San Jose, and letters will be distributed as part of the "Mail Call" Zero1 event.
Anyone can send a letter for the pilot ride through the sslow.net, and pick up the letters at the San Jose Mail Call Event. Letters can be submitted online through tomorrow and in-person at the send off event at the Stanford Red Bard, 9am on Sep 12th.
Anyone can send a letter for the pilot ride through the sslow.net, and pick up the letters at the San Jose Mail Call Event. Letters can be submitted online through tomorrow and in-person at the send off event at the Stanford Red Bard, 9am on Sep 12th.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
LA Boxing Coming to West San Jose
Five new boxing, kickboxing, and mixed martial arts gyms are coming to Silicon Valley and the first will be in West Park Plaza on the corner of Winchester and Payne where LA Boxing is signing a 10 year lease for 4,200 square feet. The other four locations will be in Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Milpitas, and Palo Alto.
Source: SJBJ
Source: SJBJ
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Wednesday Wishlist: Measure B Compromise
I have tried to avoid this topic, but the recent murder spree and popular opinion that the SJPD is degenerating because of Measure B has made it unavoidable.
First off, I think some incarnation of Measure B was bound to happen sooner or later. People like to scapegoat Chuck Reed, but I think the truth is that he was handed a bad deck of cards with two options: 1.) do nothing and bankrupt the city 2.) reform the pension plans. The decision was clear but I think the execution could have been softened substantially. The reduction in benefits has reduced officer moral and made our force less competitive than our neighbors in retaining top officers. Ideally, SJPD would have been given something in return for the lower pensions.
So my wishlist for the week is a compromise between the city and the SJPD. I think the reforms are here to stay, but the doesn't mean salaries cannot be increased. I would love to see the temporary 10% paycuts officers when the downturn began to be immediately lifted along with a timeline for adding an additional 10% increase in salary. Additional salary can be just as if not more attractive than a better pension. In 2010, Google conducted surveys to see which form of compensation would be more likely to motivate and retain their employees if that benefit were to be increased. They discovered that the answer was not bonuses, free haircuts, or even more Google stock... it was salaries, and they ended up increasing the base salary of all employees by 10%.
I think the same strategy Google took to prevent employees from jumping ship to Facebook (which I bet they are now regretting) can go a long way to keep SJPD officers that have worked long and hard for the city of San Jose from going to other departments. If you look at the map below, there is a lot of work that needs to be done, and having a content and motivated police department is going to be critical to maintaining San Jose as the safest big city in the world.
(As a side note, if you look at the crime map below note that none of the homicides were in Downtown San Jose.)
Image from the Mercury News
First off, I think some incarnation of Measure B was bound to happen sooner or later. People like to scapegoat Chuck Reed, but I think the truth is that he was handed a bad deck of cards with two options: 1.) do nothing and bankrupt the city 2.) reform the pension plans. The decision was clear but I think the execution could have been softened substantially. The reduction in benefits has reduced officer moral and made our force less competitive than our neighbors in retaining top officers. Ideally, SJPD would have been given something in return for the lower pensions.
So my wishlist for the week is a compromise between the city and the SJPD. I think the reforms are here to stay, but the doesn't mean salaries cannot be increased. I would love to see the temporary 10% paycuts officers when the downturn began to be immediately lifted along with a timeline for adding an additional 10% increase in salary. Additional salary can be just as if not more attractive than a better pension. In 2010, Google conducted surveys to see which form of compensation would be more likely to motivate and retain their employees if that benefit were to be increased. They discovered that the answer was not bonuses, free haircuts, or even more Google stock... it was salaries, and they ended up increasing the base salary of all employees by 10%.
I think the same strategy Google took to prevent employees from jumping ship to Facebook (which I bet they are now regretting) can go a long way to keep SJPD officers that have worked long and hard for the city of San Jose from going to other departments. If you look at the map below, there is a lot of work that needs to be done, and having a content and motivated police department is going to be critical to maintaining San Jose as the safest big city in the world.
(As a side note, if you look at the crime map below note that none of the homicides were in Downtown San Jose.)
Image from the Mercury News
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
¡VivaFest!, The Tech Museum of Innovation, and CasaQ Partner on Film Showcase and new Festival Events
San Jose, CA--- August 20, 2012 -- For the third year, ¡VivaFest! the San Jose Mexican Heritage and Mariachi Festival has partnered with the Tech Museum of Innovation on a series of films celebrating Latino cultural heritage from independent Latino filmmakers. New this year is a partnership for Cine y Cena™ dinner and movie events with CasaQ by Darlene.
“It has been a wonderful partnership for ¡VivaFest! and The Tech Museum to bring culturally appropriate and timely films to the festival,” said Marcela Davison Aviles, Executive Producer of the festival and President and CEO of the Mexican Heritage Corporation (MHC). “and we are delighted at the curatorial additions of Darlene Tenes of CasaQ, with film and food events celebrating the 20th anniversary of the film Like Water for Chocolate and the end of the Maya Calendar. “
An eclectic series of films will launch the week-long ¡VivaFest! from September 8 - 30. Screenings will take place at The Hackworth IMAX® Dome Theater at The Tech Museum. Schedule and tickets are available at The Tech Museum box office or online atwww.thetech.org
"As The Tech Museum is committed to reflecting Silicon Valley's richly diverse community and collaborating with Bay Area institutions, we are proud to be part of the long-standing tradition of Vivafest!, serving yet again as a stage for America's largest celebration of Mexican culture and customs," said The Tech Museum President Tim Ritchie. "Vivafest! is a wonderful opportunity to recognize a vibrant tradition and culture while building bridges across communities in Silicon Valley and around the world.”
Series highlights include Mosquita y Mari, a Sundance Official Selection, and a screening and panel discussion of the documentaryTijuana Jews with Hollywood director/producer Isaac Artenstein (A Day Without A Mexican) and festival veteran Michael Ronstadt and Ronstadt Generations.
The opening film on Saturday, September 8, is a special screening that also comes from a Hollywood veteran -- Taco Shop, created by comedian/writer/director Rick Najera, will be shown at the Hackworth IMAX Dome Theater at 7 p.m., and will be preceded by actual taco trucks parked outside of The Tech Museum at 5 p.m.
On Monday, September 10, the classic Mexican movie night Doña Bárbara starring Maria Félix, the most iconic leading lady of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema.
On Wednesday, September 12, Tijuana Jews portrays an authentic and living testimony set against conceptions and misconceptions of this near-mythic border city, and is a personal exploration of this unique community, which blended Jewish and Mexican cultures and customs in an unlikely place and time. Preceding the screening at 6 p.m. will be a musical performance by Ronstadt Generations, whose family is comprised of German, Jewish and Mexican heritage. A panel discussion and Q &A with the film’s director, Isaac Artenstein, Michael Ronstadt and other guests will follow.
Thursday, September 13 features a timely film, The Weight of the Nation™. Presented by Kaiser Permanente, The Weight of the Nation™ documentary series and public health campaign present a unique opportunity to spotlight the severity of the obesity epidemic, to showcase strategies that work and, most importantly, to catalyze action to end obesity.
On Friday, September 14, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the movie Like Water for Chocolate, the festival screening will include a chocolate tasting. An event curated for the festival by CasaQ, the evening includes a tempting array of chocolates by Casa de Chocolates.
Saturday, September 15 brings an amazing cross-cultural story of how an American adventurer and self-taught Mexican artist transformed a dying desert village into a home for world-class ceramics. Included in the event is a showing of Mata Ortiz ceramics by Victoria Martino, an expert and a dealer in these fine ceramics. The Renaissance of Mata Ortiz.
All screenings , except Mesquita y Mari, will take place at the Hackworth IMAX Dome Theater at The Tech Museum. Visit www.thetech.org or www.vivafest.org to see the complete schedule and to purchase tickets. Ticket prices range from $8 to $20 per event, with discounts available for The Tech Museum members.
Also, on Wednesday September 19, the series screens Mosquita y Mari, the Official Selection 2012 of the Sundance Film Festival, directed by Aurora Guerrero. It tells the story of a “first crush” between two Chicana girls growing up in Los Angeles. This film will be screened on the campus of San Jose State University, Morris Daily Auditorium, and is being sponsored by a Horizons Foundation grant, and the San Jose State Student Union. The film will be followed by a panel discussion with the director and the actors in the film.
# # #
About The Tech Museum:
The Tech Museum is a hands-on technology and science museum for people of all ages and backgrounds. The museum—located in the Capital of Silicon Valley —is a non-profit learning resource established to engage people in exploring and experiencing technologies affecting their lives. Through programs such as The Tech Challenge presented by Cisco, our annual team-design competition for youth, and internationally renowned programs such as The Tech Awards presented by Applied Materials, Inc., The Tech Museum endeavors to inspire the innovator in everyone.
About the Mexican Heritage Corporation: Now in its 21st year, VivaFest! is Northern California’s leading Latino cultural destination event. With a mission to affirm, celebrate and preserve the rich cultural heritage of the Mexican community and showcase multicultural arts within the region and nationally, MHC both presents and produces a vibrant array of multi-disciplinary arts programs in theatre, dance, and music education and in the visual arts. Visit www.mhcviva.org or www.vivafest.org.
Monday, September 3, 2012
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Twelfth Annual Antique Autos at History Park in San José, Sunday, September 9, Noon to 5 PM
San José, California – July 17, 2012---Everyone loves a good road trip and with the popularity of ‘stay’cations, the Twelfth Annual Antique Autos in History Park, Sunday, September 9, noon to 5 PM, will highlight the proverbial roadtrip.
“Antique Autos is one of the most anticipated end-of-summer events at History Park,” said Alida Bray, President and CEO of History San José. “The park comes alive with people, activities…sort of like a little Sunday afternoon vacation.”
Featured this year are two presentations by Roger Allison, whose 1903 Winton was used in Ken Burns film Horatio’s Drive. The PBS special documents ‘America’s first road trip,’ the 1903 trans-continental drive by Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson, his co-driver/mechanic Sewall K. Crocker and their bulldog named Bud. In their 20-horsepower Winton, with few paved roads and no gas stations or road maps, Horatio’s drive was the trip that proved the automobile was here to stay. Allison’s presentations will be at 1 PM and 2 PM in the conference room of the Pacific Hotel.
The featured vehicles this year are 1- and 2-cylinder antique autos. By popular request, a team of Model T club members will attempt to break their previous record of assembling a Model T in eight minutes and six seconds.
Presented by the Santa Clara Valley Model T Ford Club and History San José, the Twelfth Annual Antique Autos in History Park event will fill History Park at Kelley Park in San José with more than 200 antique autos. On Sunday, September 9, hear the ‘putt, putt’of an antique car engine, fire equipment, bicycles and motorcycles of all makes, while strolling through the idyllic setting of History Park.
“Antique Autos in History Park is much more than an antique car show,” said Allan Greenberg, coordinator of the event. “We attempt to combine the best of all things automotive, with cars, culture, entertainment and education in the beautiful setting of History Park.”
Also located on the grounds of History Park will be the Early Day Gas Engine and Tractor Association to provide more ‘putt, putt, putt’ engine sounds reminiscent of days gone by. The Zinfandel Stompers will provide Dixie-land music from 1 PM to 3 PM.
Portraits of the Past members stroll through the 14-acre site in 1900s costumes. Other activities include free trolley rides. Arts and crafts demonstrations and antique collectibles will be on display. Family and children’s activities will be provided.
Food and beverages will be available for purchase from Peggy Sue’s Restaurant and get an ice cream at O’Brien’s Ice Cream Parlor.
Also at History Park at Kelley Park, 1650 Senter Road between Keyes and Phelan, docents will guide visitors through many of the 27 historic buildings. The exhibit “Through My Father’s Eyes” will be on display in the Pacific Hotel Gallery. The Leonard and David McKay Gallery will feature “Celebrating Local Artists.”
Admission is free and sponsored by the Santa Clara Valley Model T Ford Club. Parking is $6. For more information about the event contact Allan Greenberg at allang@pacbell.net or call 408 997 0879.
# # #
About History San José:
History San José is a non-profit organization that collects, preserves and celebrates the stories of diversity and innovation in San José and the Santa Clara Valley. HSJ manages one of the largest and most comprehensive regional history collections in the State of California, from 1784 Spanish governmental records to twenty-first century Silicon Valley technology.
History San José 1650 Senter Road San José, CA 95112 408.287.2290
www.historysanjose.org
Friday, August 31, 2012
Soladigm Raises $55M
Soladigm manufactures energy efficient "Dynamic Glass" for buildings. The dynamic part means their glass can go from clear to dark on demand and reduce HVAC energy consumption by 25-30%. This latest round (Series D) brings their total funding to $125M.
Source: SJBJ
Source: SJBJ
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Color Me Rad - Sep 1st @ Santa Clara County Fairgrounds
Now this isn't your everyday 5k run! This Saturday at the Fairgrounds, runners are going to be "color bombed" every 5 minutes, similar to what happens in the Indian festival of Holi (wiki it). For those of you wondering what being color bombed means, the video below will explain everything. If you're interested, click here for more info.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Icrebreaker Opens Today in Santana Row
WHAT: Icebreaker, the New Zealand company that pioneered the merino wool adventure apparel category, today announced it will open on Santana Row on Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2012.
Peninsula and South Bay fitness enthusiasts, from runners to cyclists to yogis, will rejoice in a new 1,500 sq. ft. TouchLab store.
Wool may not be the typical fabric choice for Bay Area dwellers, but Icebreaker apparel is not made from any ordinary sheep. Handpicked from New Zealand merinos based in the Southern Alps, enduring temperatures between -4 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter and 95 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer, Icebreaker apparel offers unique insulating and cooling properties in a luxuriously soft format that won't irritate the skin.
The San Jose TouchLab store will feature Icebreaker's complete line of pure merino wool apparel, including its Outdoor, Running, Travel, Kids, Underwear and City collections and Socks and Accessories, all made from handpicked merino wool born in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. To celebrate the opening, Icebreaker will reveal its new Fall 2012 line.
WHERE: 356 Santana Row
San Jose, CA 95128
HOURS: Monday through Thursday, 10 am to 9 pm
Friday and Saturday, 10 am to 10 pm
Sunday, 11 am to 6 pm
ABOUT: Launched in 1994, Icebreaker was the first company in the world to develop a merino wool layering system for the outdoors. It was also the first outdoor apparel company in the world to source merino directly from growers, a system it began in 1997. Icebreaker merino clothing for the outdoors, technical sports and lifestyle includes underwear, mid layer garments, outerwear, socks and accessories for men, women and children. Icebreaker is based in Wellington, New Zealand, and is sold in more than 3000 stores in 43 countries.
Icebreaker opened its first California TouchLab store in San Francisco in November 2011. The company has three other US TouchLabs: one in Portland, Oregon (home of its US headquarters), and two in New York City РSoho and the Meatpacking District. In Canada, there are TouchLabs in Vancouver, British Columbia, and in Montr̩al, Canada.
See icebreaker.com for more information about Icebreaker, and jeremymoon.me for more information on Icebreaker founder and CEO Jeremy Moon.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Two New Bike Corridors
Last week the city council approved two brand new bike corridors, Hedding Street and Ocala Avenue. Over 20 people spoke in favor of the new bike lanes at the meeting and the vote was near unanimous. This comes at a good time as a new bike sharing/rental program is coming to San Jose by the end of the year.
Source: One Square Mile
Source: One Square Mile
 |
| Hedding Street by Richard Masoner / Cycleicious |
Monday, August 27, 2012
All Nippon Airways (ANA) Officially Adds San Jose-Tokyo Route!
Well, it's finally official. Come January 11th of next year, San Jose International will have a direct flight to Narita International in Tokyo. To top it off, the plane used is going to be a Boeing 787, a brand new aircraft with incredible amenities and comfort in all classes.
There will be 5 round trip flights each week (no flights on Tues and Thurs). The San Jose flight will depart at 11:45am and arrive in Tokyo at 4:10pm. The Tokyo flight will leave at 4:35pm and arrive at 10:10am the next day in San Jose.
I'm hoping for a fare sale to launch the new route and that many more international flights will be coming to SJC!
Source: SJBJ
There will be 5 round trip flights each week (no flights on Tues and Thurs). The San Jose flight will depart at 11:45am and arrive in Tokyo at 4:10pm. The Tokyo flight will leave at 4:35pm and arrive at 10:10am the next day in San Jose.
I'm hoping for a fare sale to launch the new route and that many more international flights will be coming to SJC!
Source: SJBJ
Sunday, August 26, 2012
SquareCrow’s Ball at History Park Benefits History San José and Second Harvest Food Bank
San Jose, CA – August 9, 2012
Most of us equate square dancing with the angst of grade school gym class or choosing partners. Those days are gone, and these days square dancing, as well as round dancing, is actually fun.
The Third Annual SquareCrow’s Ball will set out to prove just that on September 8 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at History Park.
This year’s SquareCrow’s Ball will also benefit both History San José and Second Harvest Food Bank. Tickets are set at an affordable $15 per person, or $10 and two canned goods, with proceeds going to both nonprofits.
“Folk dancing builds community,” said Jane Maxfield, coordinator of the SquareCrow’s Ball. “Dancing together is not as stupid as you thought it was in grade school. And you don’t need to know how to dance. You can learn everything you need by just coming to the Ball.”
The SquareCrow’s Ball will bring together music, food, dancing and a silent auction. Caller Scot Byars will provide dancers the opportunity to revel under the Light Tower at History Park.
“The SquareCrow’s Ball and dancing under the Light Tower brings a liveliness to History Park,” said Alida Bray, President and CEO of History San José. “This is a wonderful marriage of History Park with historic music and cultural heritage. And we are honored to share that stage with Second Harvest Food Bank.”
Live music by Fiddle Road will demonstrate a diverse musical repertoire of a colorful blend of Celtic, bluegrass, Cajun and Ol' Timey songs expressed joyfully through guitar, fiddle, mandolin, five-string and tenor banjos, stand up bass and ukulele.
Pies will be offered by Coco’s Bakery Restaurant of Sunnyvale, coffee from Red Rock, and of course, San Jose’s own Treat Ice Cream is available in O’Brien’s Café in the Pacific Hotel at History Park.
History Park is located at 1650 Senter Road, between Phelan and Keyes Avenues, at the south end of Kelley Park. For the purpose of GPS routing, 635 Phelan in San Jose, CA will direct to the south parking lot.
# # #
About History San José:
History San José is a non-profit organization that collects, preserves and celebrates the stories of diversity and innovation in San José and the Santa Clara Valley. HSJ manages one of the largest and most comprehensive regional history collections in the State of California, from 1784 Spanish governmental records to twenty-first century Silicon Valley technology.
History San José 1650 Senter Road San José, CA 95112 408.287.2290
www.historysanjose.org
About SquareCrow’s Ball:
In early 2010 five friends who enjoy square dancing decided to put together a square dance as an opportunity to expose others to the fun of square dancing and to give square dancers an opportunity to give back to others in their community.
The first SquareCrow’s Ball in 2010 brought together members of 14 different square dance clubs and benefited both History San Jose and the Second Harvest Food Bank. Rich Reel – of El Camino Reelers, Sunnyvale Squares, and Western Star Dancers – was the very gracious and entertaining caller who donated his services and helped make this event such a success. http://squarecrowsball.wordpress.com/
About Second Harvest Food Bank:
Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties is the trusted leader dedicated to ending local hunger. Since its inception in 1974, Second Harvest has become one of the largest food banks in the nation, providing food to an average of nearly one quarter of a million people each month. The Food Bank mobilizes individuals, companies and community partners to connect people to the nutritious food they need. Nearly half of the food distributed is fresh produce. Second Harvest also plays a leading role in promoting federal nutrition programs and educating families on how to make healthier food choices. Visit www.SHFB.org to get involved.
Saturday, August 25, 2012
The Mmoon Expansion
The Mmoon is expanding! They opened their first location in Downtown San Jose two years ago, offering their unique and delicious empanadas on a spacious corner lot on Santa Clara Street near San Pedro Square. Now they are opening a second location in downtown Los Gatos! Additional info in the release below:
The Mmoon, a family-owned empanada eatery, is excited to announce the opening of their second location in historic downtown Los Gatos this spring. The new location will be at 81 West Main Street, next door to the Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Company.
“We are excited to have the opportunity to open our second store in Los Gatos. We have learned over the past year that empanadas are new to many people and we look forward to bringing a small taste of Argentina to a wonderful community,” says co-founder, Mike Mendez.
The Mmoon opened its first location in downtown San Jose in September 2010 and has since
become a popular destination for a quick lunch or pre-Sharks game meal. The eatery features an
assortment of gourmet artisanal empanadas, fresh salads, homemade dressings and sauces
(including their signature blended churri sauce – a secret family recipe spanning four generations).
The Mmoon looks forward to opening their doors to the Los Gatos community the week of May 14th.
About the Mmoon
The Mmoon features Argentine-inspired gourmet empanadas. Founded by the Mendez family in
2010, their mission is to offer quick service and quality food at an affordable price. Simple quality
makes each empanada special. The causal eatery offers catering, delivery and take and bake. The
Mmoon is located in downtown San Jose’s historic San Pedro Square at 177 W. Santa Clara Street.
For more information about the Mmoon, please visit www.themmoon.com.
The Mmoon, a family-owned empanada eatery, is excited to announce the opening of their second location in historic downtown Los Gatos this spring. The new location will be at 81 West Main Street, next door to the Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Company.
“We are excited to have the opportunity to open our second store in Los Gatos. We have learned over the past year that empanadas are new to many people and we look forward to bringing a small taste of Argentina to a wonderful community,” says co-founder, Mike Mendez.
The Mmoon opened its first location in downtown San Jose in September 2010 and has since
become a popular destination for a quick lunch or pre-Sharks game meal. The eatery features an
assortment of gourmet artisanal empanadas, fresh salads, homemade dressings and sauces
(including their signature blended churri sauce – a secret family recipe spanning four generations).
The Mmoon looks forward to opening their doors to the Los Gatos community the week of May 14th.
About the Mmoon
The Mmoon features Argentine-inspired gourmet empanadas. Founded by the Mendez family in
2010, their mission is to offer quick service and quality food at an affordable price. Simple quality
makes each empanada special. The causal eatery offers catering, delivery and take and bake. The
Mmoon is located in downtown San Jose’s historic San Pedro Square at 177 W. Santa Clara Street.
For more information about the Mmoon, please visit www.themmoon.com.
Friday, August 24, 2012
DRUM! Night 2012 A Hit; Paul Bostaph, Newark, Wins BADASS
DRUM! Night 2012 A Hit With Diverse Drumming Performances; Paul Bostaph Reels In Second Annual BADASS Award
San Jose, Calif., Enter Music Publishing’s third annual DRUM! Night was quite a hit. The event, a benefit for San Jose’s Lincoln High, featured diverse drum concerts and clinics by world-respected drummers and local legends. The third annual benefit, which also included a raffle and silent auction, rocked the San Jose Repertory Theater on August. 10.
“Enter Music Publishing really has made it a commitment to conduct events like this for the good of music education,” said Phil Hood, publisher and co-founder of the company. “Let’s face it. These days, high schools need help from the community to keep music in the educational mix. DRUM! Night, without a doubt, was an attempt to demonstrate the power of drumming to high school-age musicians.”
Paul Bostaph’s Beat Recognized: A BADAAS
Among the highlights of DRUM! Night was the awarding of the second annual BADAAS Award (Bay Area Drummers Achievement Awards) to Paul Bostaph, the local metal star who has been a key member of Slayer, Testament, and other bands.
Last year Mike Bordin (Soundgarden) won the inaugural award. Bostaph, who hails from Newark, Calif., and came to fame playing with Forbidden, before moving on to Slayer, Exodus, and Testament. In his acceptance speech he thanked all the drummers and companies, who have stood behind him throughout his career.
Pre-Event Percussive Highlights: From San Jose Taiko To Roland’s V-Drums Lab
Before the event, San Jose Taiko performed a street concert outside the theater. Inside, Roland set up a V-Drums Lab, so attendees could check out the latest and greatest from the electronic drum manufacturer.
Nate Brown’s Syncopated Stick Tricks And Legendary Drum Kits
In addition, Nate Brown performed a stick tricks clinic for the assembed drummers. At the same time, Drummers Tradition of San Rafael, Calif. created a mini-museum of vintage drum kits including a Ronnie Montrose set (originally played by Denny Carmassi) and the set used on Rick James "SuperFly." Other exhibitions included Louie Bellson memorabilia and Power Wrist Builders.
Kenny Aronoff’s Signature Session
Kenny Aronoff’s Signature Session
Kenny Aronoff, the all-world session and touring ace who has played on dozens of top hits wowed the crowd with some of the hits from Mellencamp, Smashing Pumpkins, and others he's recorded or performed with. He described the tension of playing inaugurations and major Kennedy Center Events. He also provided great advice to drummers. He noted to the drummers in attendance that if they want a career in music, "Hard work is not just something you do for four years in college. It's your whole life."
During another performance, Tim Yeung (Morbid Angel, Divine Heresy) performed a high-octane set of metal grooves. During discussion with the audience he emphasized the role of listening and relationships, among band members, friends, and musicians and audiences.
During another performance, Tim Yeung (Morbid Angel, Divine Heresy) performed a high-octane set of metal grooves. During discussion with the audience he emphasized the role of listening and relationships, among band members, friends, and musicians and audiences.
Prince Drummers Participate
Cora Coleman-Dunham and her trio with husband Josh Dunham, put aside their busy touring/recording schedule to attend DRUM! Night. The two of them anchored Prince's 2010-2011 percussive lineups. Her set featured great improvisation and melodies she played on her tuned drum set, as well as big funky grooves.
A Worthy Cause
As discussed above, DRUM! Night 2012 was a benefit to raise money for Lincoln High School and proved successful. The Raffle and Silent Auction raised thousands for the school and raised awareness for music education. Lucky raffle winners walked off with a Gretsch Drum Kit, and sets of Zildjian and Sabian cymbals.
A Worthy Cause
As discussed above, DRUM! Night 2012 was a benefit to raise money for Lincoln High School and proved successful. The Raffle and Silent Auction raised thousands for the school and raised awareness for music education. Lucky raffle winners walked off with a Gretsch Drum Kit, and sets of Zildjian and Sabian cymbals.
About Enter Music Publishing
Founded in San Jose, CA in 1991, Enter Music Publishing, Inc. is a leading publisher of informative and entertaining drum and music-related media, with distribution in 40 countries. DRUM! Magazine is the company’s flagship publication and continues to set the industry standard for editorial quality and innovation. Enter Music Publishing, Inc. also publishes drummagazine.com, a leading drum-related Web site. The company’s mission is to be the best source of drumming news and information in the world.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Siren Fish & Reptiles Now Open Downtown
Another retail slot has been filled Downtown! Siren Fish & Reptile is now open for business at 18 N 1st Street (near the intersection with E. Santa Clara). They have a pretty impressive collection of lizards, amphibians, snakes, fish, and even birds. Even if you are not a fish or reptile hobbyist, you should still stroll in and have a look.
You can also check out their website over here and their Facebook page here.
You can also check out their website over here and their Facebook page here.
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