Saturday, July 13, 2013

Saturday Stats: San Jose Ranks as the #10 Best City of Same-Sex Weddings

With the demise of the Defense of Marriage Act, California cities can now be included as the best places for gay weddings. Those cities will benefit from increased dollars being pumped into the economy for ceremonies and receptions, as well as happier residents that are no longer discriminated against.

San Jose ranked #10 on the list of best cities for same-sex weddings in the country. San Francisco ranked #1, and I will say that is well deserved (there, I paid a rare compliment to SF =).

The rankings are based on 12 different pieces of criteria including the HRC Equality Index, % of gay population, gay bars per capita, florists per capita, bridal shops per capita, hotels per capita, wedding planners per capita (SJ ranked #3), DJs per capita (SJ ranked #4), catering companies per capita, bakeries per capita, and photographers per capita (SJ ranked #3). See the full top 10 list below:

Top 10 List

1.) San Francisco, CA
2.) Seattle, WA
3.) Boston, MA
4.) Minneapolis, MN
5.) Riverside, CA
6.) Washington, D.C.
7.) San D9iego, CA
8.) Rochester, NY
9.) Los Angeles, CA
10.) San Jose, CA

Same Sex Wedding Big Deal list

Source: Movoto Blog

Friday, July 12, 2013

The 8th Annual Frida Kahlo Fundraiser


The 8th Annual Frida Kahlo Fundraiser
Frida & Diego look alike contests, silent art auction, music, performances, food & drinks.
Friday, July 12th, 6–9pm
Mexican Heritage Plaza
1700 Alum Rock Ave.
San Jose, CA

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Barracuda Networks Expands to South San Jose

One area of San Jose that has been very slow to benefit from the economic recovery is Edenvale. This South San Jose tech cluster was booming in the .COM days, but has been plagued with high vacancy rates for years now. However, it looks like things are starting to turn around.

Campbell-based Barracuda Networks has decided to move their manufacturing, customer support, hardware, and design teams to a 50,000 SQFT building in Edenvale (5710 Fontanso Way). A total of 100 jobs will be moving to San Jose. All it takes is a few high-profile deals like this to spark interest from other companies.

Edenvale is not close to mass transit, but does have a lot going for it. For starters it is close to the bulk of San Jose's current residential neighborhoods. Second, for those that don't live in the immediate area, it is a super-convenient reverse commute. Lastly, companies get a ton of bang for their buck. The price per square foot for the large amounts of space available is among the lowest in Silicon Valley. Hopefully more companies will follow in Barracuda Networks' footsteps.

Source: SVBJ

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Berryessa Walmart?

Well, I have some bad news today. It looks like SyWest Development wants to build a Walmart where the Century Berryessa 10 movie theaters used to be. SyWest has recently razed a beloved theater in Pleasant Hill to build several cookie-cutter big box stores, despite protest from thousands of residents. It looks like they want to do something similar in San Jose. While there is little reason to preserve the Berryessa theater, putting another generic Walmart there seems like a poor use of the space, which will only be minutes away from the new San Jose BART station in 2017.

The person to complain to is Bill Vierra, the SyWest president and COO (bill_vierra@sywest.com). More information on the flyer below.

Thanks Andrew for sending this in!


main image alt text
Dome Theater in Pleasant Hill that was Razed by SyWest

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

DRUM! Night 2013 Lineup Announced

On Friday, August 9th, a stellar group of drummers across multiple genres will be performing in Downtown San Jose (including Chad Smith from the Red Hot Chili Peppers). For all the info, check out the press release below or head over to the event website over here!



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Chad Smith, Cindy Blackman-Santana & Jason Bittner will dazzle West Coast drummers in August!
San Jose, Calif. – The editors of DRUM! Magazine have announced the all-star line-up of drumming clinicians that will appear at DRUM! Night 2013. Expect lots of chops to fly when Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers/Chickenfoot), Cindy Blackman-Santana (Lenny Kravitz/Santana),Jason Bittner (Shadows Fall/Anthrax), and Street Drum Corps take the stage at the San Jose Repertory Theatre on Friday, August 9.
“We work hard to present a diverse lineup of drummers every year,” says DRUM! Magazine editorial director Andy Doerschuk. “Music media tends to pigeonhole artists into categories like ‘metal’ and ‘jazz’ — we’re just as guilty as any other music magazine. But our objective is for DRUM! Night attendees to walk away from our festival with a new appreciation for the similarities that exist between drummers like Chad, Cindy, and Jason, and be exposed to styles of music they might not otherwise hear.”
The star-studded roster of past DRUM! Night performers is proof of this proposition. Previous DRUM! Night festivals have featured living legends like Terry BozzioDavid GaribaldiKenny Aronoff, and Thomas Lang, as well as emerging hotshots like Thomas PridgenQueen Cora DunhamMarco Minnemann, and Tim Yeung.

In addition to this year’s incredible array of talent, DRUM! Night 2013 will feature a gear expo, raffle, silent auction, and presentation of the 2013 BADAAS (Bay Area Drummers Achievement Awards) trophy to a local drumming legend whose name will remain a secret until the onstage presentation of the award. Paul Bostaph of Slayer and Mike Bordin of Faith No More were the first two annual honorees.
For more information and tickets, go to drumnight2013.com. And be sure to pick up a copy of the August issue of DRUM! to read our cover story featuring the stars of DRUM! Night.

About Chad Smith
Chad Smith has played drums with The Red Hot Chili Peppers since 1988, appearing on every Chili Peppers album since the band’s 1989 breakthrough, Mother’s Milk. When not working with the Chili Peppers, Smith has remained busy with such side projects as the all-star band Chickenfoot and instrumental fusion outfit Chad Smith’s Bombastic Meatbats, as well as a long list of studio sessions with such diverse artists as Kid Rock, Glenn Hughes, Brandi Carlile, Johnny Cash, and The Dixie Chicks. Over the years, Smith has also contributed time to charitable causes including MusiCares, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and Children’s Hospitals, among others.

About Cindy Blackman-Santana
One of the few drummers who is equally compelling in jazz or rock settings, Cindy Blackman-Santana began to turn heads after moving to New York City in the early ’80s, and within a short time started racking up credits with such jazz luminaries as Freddie Hubbard, Sam Rivers, and Jackie McLean. She released her first solo album, Arcane, in 1987, and has continued to enjoy a prolific solo career. Blackman-Santana elevated her profile considerably when she began playing with Lenny Kravitz in 1993, and continued to play with him until 2004, when she decided to focus on solo jazz projects like her recent Spectrum Road super-group with bassist Jack Bruce, guitarist Vernon Reid, and organist John Medeski.

About Jason Bittner
Best known as the hard-hitting drummer with Shadows Fall, Jason Bittner gained prominence in the early 2000s during the New Wave Of American Heavy Metal movement. He has won multiple drumming awards, been featured on the cover of drumming magazines, and became a popular clinician at international drumming festivals. Bittner has twice toured with Anthrax, filling in for founding drummer Charlie Benante, and has developed a reputation as an educator through his work as a faculty member for the 2007 Drum Fantasy Camp, and with the release of his method book Drumming Out Of The Shadows and instructional DVD What Drives The Beat.

About Street Drum Corps
Since their formation, Street Drum Corps has blown away audiences at nearly every major U.S. festival with their combination of thunderous percussion and visual stimuli. SDC’s shows are a primordial, stomping blast of energy, theatricality, and passion. There’s a reason why members of No Doubt, Bad Religion, and Projeckt Revolution tour mates Atreyu all want to play with them. Why Conan O’Brien invited them to perform on his show. And why The Used’s Bert McCracken has practically adopted them as his pet band. SDC are more concerned with rhythm than genre. In their performances, one hears tribal, rock, punk, dance, and industrial.

About Enter Music Publishing
Founded in San Jose, California, in 1992, Enter Music Publishing, Inc. is a leading publisher of cutting-edge drum and percussion magazines, with distribution in 40 countries. DRUM! is the flagship publication of Enter Music Publishing, Inc. and continues to set the industry standard for editorial quality and innovation. Enter Music Publishing, Inc. also publishes great content on its website, drummagazine.com. Over the company’s history, Enter Music Publishing has spearheaded other well-respected publications, such as How To Play Drums and TRAPS magazines. The company’s mission is to be the best source of drumming news and info on this planet. The company’s founders, Phil Hood and Andy Doerschuk, are well-respected drum industry veterans with more than 50 years of experience in the field.

For more information:
Andy Doerschuk
Editorial Director, DRUM! Magazine
408-971-9794, ex. 215

---
Andy Doerschuk
Editorial Director, Enter Music Publishing
95 South Market St., Suite 430
San Jose, CA 95113
408-971-9794, ex. 215
andy@drumlink.com

Monday, July 8, 2013

The San Jose Night Market is Back!

Now in its second year, the San Jose Night Market is back in full swing at 1411 Mabury Road. Inspired by similar outdoor events in Asia, you will be able to find all sorts of vendors, street food tents, gourmet food trucks, and even farmer's market booths at the Night Market. Come check it out any Friday or Saturday night from 6pm-11pm!

Fore more information, visit the Night Market website here or their Facebook page here.





Sunday, July 7, 2013

O'Flaherty's "54 Launch Tap Party"

I never used to think of O'Flaherty's as the go-to destination for craft beer, but they have truly become an anchor for the Downtown beer scene. This Tuesday at 8pm, they are celebrating their new taps--all 54 of them--by selling all their draft beers for $1! Let me say that one more time... they are selling all 54 of their beers for $1 each! If that wasn't good enough, they are sweetening the deal with free hor'dourves.

This event is a no-brainer if you even remotely enjoy beer. Don't miss out on this very rare opportunity, it may never come again! For more information check out their website over here.


Saturday, July 6, 2013

Saturday Stats: San Jose Ranked as #1 Most Innovative City

Newsweek has named the San Jose area as the #1 most innovative metro based on number of patents created. Another interesting stat is that 63% of all the patents in the US are submitted by people living in the top 20 metros. Those people only make up 34% of the US's population.

Thanks Dan for the link!

Source: Newsweek

MOST PATENT-INTENSIVE METRO AREAS

San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara, CA
Avg. Patents*: 9,237
Patent Intensity**: 10.29

Burlington–South Burlington, VT
Avg. Patents: 826
Patent Intensity: 6.86

Rochester, MN
Avg. Patents: 606
Patent Intensity: 5.70

Corvallis, OR
Avg. Patents: 194
Patent Intensity: 4.83

Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, N.Y.
Avg. Patents: 1,226
Patent Intensity: 4.70

Boulder, CO
Avg. Patents: 666
Patent Intensity: 4.04

San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, CA
Avg. Patents: 7,003
Patent Intensity: 3.59

Santa Cruz–Watsonville, CA
Avg. Patents: 310
Patent Intensity: 3.20

Austin–Round Rock–San Marcos, TX
Avg. Patents: 2,497
Patent Intensity: 3.09

Ann Arbor, MI
Avg. Patents: 590
Patent Intensity: 2.93

*Averaged over 2007 to 2011.
**Patents per thousand workers, annual average between 2007 and 2011.

Friday, July 5, 2013

55 Market Facelift Looking Good

If you have driven by Market Street lately, you may have noticed the shiny new facade of 55 Market (aka, the gold building). I think it looks pretty sleek, but with so much empty space in the lobby I wish they added a new retail sport or two. Regardless, this is a huge improvement over what was there before and will compliment One South nicely.

Source: Team San Jose


Thursday, July 4, 2013

Happy 4th of July Everyone!

Hope you all have a fun and safe Fourth! Don't forget to check out the 2013 Rose, White & Blue Parade today on the Alameda.

2013 Rose, White & Blue Parade

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Buena Vista Midtown Senior Apartments

Construction is now well underway for the Buena Vista apartment project in midtown. I don't believe that I have mentioned this project before. Buena Vista will have 95 units available for those that are 55-years-old and and meet income qualifications. The community will have several amenities and activity programs to serve residents, and the locations is right between Downtown and Santana Row. The project should be ready by next summer and you can see the full construction schedule below.

Thanks Mark for sending this in!


Hours of Construction

The City of San Jose has issued permit approvals for this development requiring that construction activity and deliveries occur Monday - Friday,  7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Additional notification and City approvals may be provided, for specific activities to be conducted outside of these hours such as on Saturdays.

Project Schedule & Sequencing

Construction will begin Thursday, May 9, 2013 and complete in approximately September of 2014.

Dates are approximate. For more detailed notifications and updates, sign up for Email Updates.
1.  May 9-17, 2013: Demolition
2.  May-June 2013: Mass Excavation (The process of digging the subterranean garage), with approximately 1-2 weeks of compaction, subject to change.
3.  Summer 2013: Concrete Pumps and Pouring
4.  Fall 2013: 1st Phase of Underground Utilities- Equipment in the streets and compaction
5.  September 2013 - January 2014: Framing the Building, cranes and manpower, delivery of prefabricated framing
6.  December 2013-June 2014: Finishes - Building in full swing with various trades (plumbers, electricians, drywallers, etc.)
7.  Summer 2014: 2nd Phase of Underground Utilities
8.  Summer 2014: Final touches, paving, landscaping, cleaning 

Truck Routes (Deliveries & Hauling)

All large equipment and trucks will be directed to enter from the southeast corner of the site and exit by continuing west on West San Carlos Street; they will be directed through signage not to turn north on either Buena Vista or Willard Avenues. The northern-most lane of W San Carlos Street will be closed during construction and pedestrian detours will be posted.

Closing the traffic lane adjacent to the site maximizes the "buffer" of distance between construction activity and the residences to the northwest, north, and northeast.

A roadway easement has been issued during construction allowing Fiesta Lane, adjacent to the Senior Apartment Site, to be used during construction for staging or equipment, as long as access is afforded to Townhome residents and visitors at all times.
Picture

Parking

Core Builders will instruct subcontractors arriving on site to park throughout public streets in a 2 block radius around the site in order to avoid parking inundation to any single area. The subterranean garage will be available to accommodate some construction parking when it is completed by late 2013.

Construction Informational Meeting

This meeting was held on May 2, 2013 at 6:00 p.m., and 17 attendees signed the sign-in sheet at the meeting. Download the
Agenda/Handout from the May 2 meeting below.

construction_meeting_handout_5-2-13.pdf
Download File

Contact Information

The Site Superintendent is Joel Hannagan of Core Builders. If you have questions or concerns regarding the construction of Buena Vista Midtown Senior Apartments on West San Carlos Street, please contact Joel at 408-373-0444 orjhannagan@thecorecompanies.com.

Main Point of Contact for Neighbors
Joel Hannagan, Site Superintendent: 
jhannagan@thecorecompanies.com, Cell: 408-373-0444 
Pieter Joosen – Project Manager, pjoosen@thecorecompanies.com Office Ph: (408) 293-9728 x36
Crystal Madeiros – Project Administrator, cmadeiros@thecorecompanies.com, Office Ph: (408) 293-9728 x17
Jim Feeley – Vice President of Construction, jfeeley@thecorecompanies.com, Office Phone: (408) 293-9728 x38

Mailing Address: Core General Contractor Inc.
dba CORE Builders
470 South Market Street
San Jose, CA  95113-2819

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

San Jose Is Getting a New Museum

This adobe home--which was built in the 1830s and is one of only two remaining adobe buildings in San Jose--is about to become a museum. The historic Roberto-Sunol Adobe & Laura Ville site located in Willow Glen is being donated by the Bruzzone family to the California Pioneers of Santa Clara County. They easily could have sold it, but instead they spent $50,000 renovating the site to help its transition to becoming a museum that will be shared with all of San Jose. The only other similar structure that exists is the Peralta Adobe in Downtown San Jose. For more information check out the source link below (it's a really interesting read).

Source: The Merc

Roberto-Sunol Adobe

Roberto-Sunol Adobe

Roberto-Sunol Adobe

Roberto-Sunol Adobe

Roberto-Sunol Adobe

Monday, July 1, 2013

Bass Pro Shops is Building a GARGANTUAN Store in South San Jose

Bass Pro Shops is an outdoor retailer known for building huge destination stores. How huge? The San Jose store will be 145,000 SQFT, which is larger than your typical Costco. This store has an incredibly loyal and devoted following that drive an average of more than 50 miles to get to their closest store and stay an average of 2.5 hours per visit. Each store gets about 2 million visitors per year. This will be the first Bass Pro Shops in the Bay Area, and there are only two other stores in all of California.

The San Jose store will carry all sorts of camping, hunting, fishing, boating, and general outdoor gear. If none of that sounds appealing to you, I'm sure just walking around will be entertaining in and of itself. In fact, this store will come complete with a 12-lane "underwater" bowling alley and a seafood restaurant.

Bass Pro Shops will be located in Almaden Ranch at the corner of Almaden Expressway and Highway 85 and construction should be complete in 2015. Over 250-300 permanent jobs will be created when the store opens, not including seasonal employees.

Source: The MercSVBJ








Sunday, June 30, 2013

Beavers Find the Way Back to San Jose

Well, I can honestly say that I had no idea beavers ever existed in the Bay Area. For the first time in 150 years, beavers have apparently returned to the Guadalupe River and made a home for themselves within the Downtown San Jose area. Even the beavers see the value in moving Downtown! Check out the video below and the source link for all the info.

Thanks Dan for the tip!

Source: Bay Nature



Saturday, June 29, 2013

Saturday Stats: San Jose Leads the Nation in Tech Jobs per Capita

A staggering 33% of all jobs in the San Jose metro are related to Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (also known as STEM jobs). This is higher than any other region in the US. The Washington DC area came in second place with 27%. SF and New York did not even make the top 10 list.

The report also found that areas with high concentrations of STEM jobs are likely to see higher wages, better employment rates, and faster growth. To see the Top 10 list, just click the image below.

Source: SVBJ, Brookings Institute

Click to Enlarge!

Friday, June 28, 2013

The Blackbird Tavern Opens Today!

The official opening date of the Blackbird Tavern has arrived. Perched at the corner of 200 South 1st Street across from MUJI and the Fairmont Hotel, this is one of the most highly anticipated restaurants coming Downtown this year. Brought to you by the same guys as the Naglee Park Garage, the food is likely going to please. Top it off with an impressive bar and live music, and folks I think we're going to have a real hit here. Go check it out and let us know what you think in the comments!




Downtown San Jose Bitter Beer Crawl Tonight



In a sign of the burgeoning better beer scene in downtown San Jose, there’s a bar hop taking place tonight starting at 7 p.m. at Market Beer Co. inside San Pedro Square Market.

With stops at O’Flaherty’s Irish Pub, The Brit, and Good Karma Vegan Café, this beer crawl is organized to showcase some of the downtown spots serving good beer as well as to help your favorite, local beer bar participate in this year’s Stone Bitter Beer challenge. More information can be found here.

Market Beer Company. Credits: Andy Lee
Market Beer Company - first stop on the Bitter Beer Crawl in downtown San Jose. Credits: Andy Lee

San Jose Earthquakes' Stadium is Making Progress

With a $1.4 billion stadium rising in Santa Clara, it is easy to forget about the Earthquakes' new stadium. The total cost of this project is going to be $60 million, which is almost a rounding error compared to what the 49ers are spending (they recently announced an extra $75 million on tech upgrades alone). However, having a soccer-specific stadium for the Earthquakes will energize both the team and fans and help take the world's favorite sport to the next level in the Bay Area. Now that ground has been broken and construction is getting into full swing, I think you'll be seeing the Quakes' stadium a lot more in the news. The final product will seat 18,000 people and be home to the largest outdoor bar in North America. Frankly, I can't wait to see how this one turns out.

Source: The Merc

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Earthlink is Returning to San Jose!

Talk about a blast from the past. Earthlink was one of the key players in the early days of the internet, back when dial-up was the norm and anything above 56k was considered "high-speed." Back then they competed with companies like AOL and Compuserve. Earthlink used to have a presence in Downtown San Jose, and one of the high-rises even donned the company insignia for several years. After the bubble burst, they ended up consolidating offices.

Now Earthlink is coming back to San Jose, and they are doing so in style. The company is planning to open a huge new data center for its cloud-hosting platform along with a sales office. To top it off they are even acquiring a Sunnyvale-based company called CenterBeam. They are making a big investment in Silicon Valley, so it looks like they are planning to stick around for quite a while this time.

Source: SVBJ



Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Discover San Jose Retail Store Opens Today!

If this isn't a sign of the times I don't know what is. Yet another retail store is opening up Downtown, and this one is all about San Jose pride! The Discover San Jose store will be located at 150 South 1st Street across from the Fairmont Plaza and will carry souvenirs, historic artifacts, San Jose art, and more. They picked a really good central location and I'm sure store will do wonders in getting the San Jose brand out there more.

The ribbon cutting ceremony and grand opening are both happening this afternoon and will feature free food, drinks, and gifts. For more information click here!



Tuesday, June 25, 2013

New (Non-Downtown) San Jose Restaurants!

There have been a ton of anonymous posts on the blog mentioning new restaurants that are opening all around San Jose. I am conveniently grouping all of the non-Downtown ones into this post. Again most of the posts were anonymous, so feel free to take credit in the comments if you submitted these =).

  • Santana Row
    • Fogo de Chao (replacing Chili's) - epic win for San Jose... this is a world-renowned and highly-rated Brazilian steakhouse. The only other location in California is in Beverly Hills.
  • Nicholson Plaza (N. First, center with Round Table and Subway)
    • EatViet - this looks like a Vietnamese version of Chipotle, pretty interesting concept
  • Crescent Village
  • Brokaw Commons
  • @First
    • Sajj - Falafels, Shawarmas, and other Mediterranean fare
  • San Jose Market Center (Coleman, on Downtown's border)





San Jose - Century of Hospitality at the MLK Library


San Jose - Century of Hospitality - MLK Library June 24 - Oct. 25, 2013 from WMS media Inc. on Vimeo.

Throughout its history, San Jose’s hospitality was world famous, accommodating everyone, from gold prospectors and tourists to the captains of industry.

As the gold rush ended, miners settled and took up farming. San Jose expanded its role as a supply center and became a transportation hub. Local hotels expanded their rooms, including new amenities such as entertainment, saloons, restaurants and retail shops. Tourism flourished with as famous visitors like Thomas Edison and President McKinley came to the city.

Experience the beautiful photos and compelling memorabilia from a century of change in San Jose’s hospitality industry. Presented by the Sourisseau Academy for State and Local History at the downtown Martin Luther King Library.

You’ll see and witness how life dramatically changed from a sleepy Pueblo population to the first State Capital to a modern metropolis.

Monday, June 24, 2013

Content Magazine - Issue 5.2 Pick-up Party

The best magazine in San Jose is hosting yet another pick-up party for it's readers, contributors, and featured personalities tomorrow. What makes this one even more special than its predecessors is the location... Blackbird Tavern! You'll get an exclusive sneak peak into Downtown San Jose's latest watering hole and bistro, and I think it's going to be awesome. To top it off, you will even get a free drink just for showing up. Seriously, what other magazine would do this kind of stuff for its readers?

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Map of San Jose Pet Rescues and Shelters

The maps below were created so that the public can be made aware of how many homeless pet organizations are available in the San Jose area. Many of these pets will be euthanized if not adopted, so if you are looking for a pet please start with a local shelter!


Find San Jose Dogs & Puppies


Find San Jose Cats & Kittens

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Saturday Stats: San Jose Ranks as the #2 Clean Tech City in the US

Clean Edge has put out a report that looks at clean tech leadership and has ranked all of the metros in the US. Not surprisingly, five of the top 10 were in California. What did surprise me is that San Francisco (which includes San Mateo and Oakland) outranked the San Jose metro. I really have to question this considering the tremendous concentration of clean/green-tech companies in the South Bay. However, #2 among all US Metros is nothing to be disappointed about, especially considering that the next metro on the list was not even close to San Jose.

Source: Silicon Beat

2013 Metro Index

Friday, June 21, 2013

Mass Produce Original Thought @ Empire Seven Studios

Mass Produce Original Thought! combines found, acquired, and artist-made objects with text and image to comment on the place of the individual in our manufactured environment. In this exhibition, typographic voice is given to a wide range of objects. The skateboard deck, a mass-produced consumer good often associated with the seeking of rebellious symbolism, is employed as canvas for a range of messages from sexual angst to societal yearnings. Street signs, fallout shelter signs, and land mine markers are repurposed in poetic conversations between their original and newly imposed messages. Type is integrated into antiques, vintage family artifacts, as well as new materials, by means of sandblasting, painting, laser etching, toner transfer, and letterpress. The result is a conversation of forms that brushes aside distinctions between art, design, and poetry.

Show will run June 14-July 6
Gallery hours: Wednesday and Friday 12-6pm, Saturday 12-4pm

SF Design Week Silicon Valley Party
Wednesday, June 26 from 7-10pm
Artist talk at 8pm




Thursday, June 20, 2013

Downtown Willow Glen Hosts the 18th ‘Dancin’ on the Avenue’ On Saturday, June 22 from 2 PM to 8 PM On Lincoln Avenue in the Heart of Willow Glen



San Jose, CA – May 8, 2013  --- On Saturday, June 22 the Willow Glen Business Association will host the ‘Dancin’ on the Avenue’ community and family-friendly festival. Presented by CEFCU, this year’s ‘Dancin’ on the Avenue’ has garnered much community and business support. The street fair will host live music, 15 various food vendors as well as a family atmosphere featuring a Kids’ Court with kid-centric  games and activities.

“This year’s “Dancin’ On the Avenue” will offer the community a fun-filled and family-friendly festival along Lincoln Avenue,” said Valerie Merklin, Executive Director of the Willow Glen Business Association. “Lincoln Avenue is the place to be on June 22!”

Here are a few of the highlights at this year’s “Dancin’ on the Avenue” event:
Four stages will feature an eclectic mix of live music and entertainment, including:  The Cruzers’ rock to soul dance music; SlingTown’s country sound with 7-part harmony with acoustic “attitude”; acoustic rock from Blue House Band; and a top 40 high-energy mash-up from The Peelers. The Community Stage will present family favorite Grammy-nominated David Sharpe and The PapaHugs Band as well as well as performances from local dance groups and musicians.

The festival will be held on Saturday, June 22 along Lincoln Avenue in downtown Willow Glen from 2 PM to 8 PM.

The Kids’ Court area, sponsored by Intero, Western Bancorp and First American Title will be held in the parking lot of Wells Fargo Bank, and have a  petting zoo, a balloon artist, face-painting, games and crafts for the family-friendliest part of the festival.  Two new attractions have been added this year. LEGO Jeep, sponsored by Miramar Hospitality, will allow children to turn a real car into a movable sculpture covered by LEGO blocks. The All-American Fun Zone will feature classic kid’s games and activities like jacks, hula-hoops, cat’s cradle and paper crafts. There will even be two sand tables for the littlest visitors to enjoy.

A Silicon Valley touch: the Willow Glen Business Association will offer the opportunity to purchase beverage tickets in advance online.   Tickets can be purchased using a credit card by going to:  willowglen.org. Advanced sale beverage tickets must be picked up at the Will Call booth located near 1176 Lincoln Avenue, which will open at 2:30 PM the day of the event.

Admission to the event is free, however security entries will be at the two monitored entrances at Willow and at Minnesota, where purses/backpacks will be checked. No outside containers of any kind – even coffee cups – will be allowed in.

Sponsors of the 2013 “Dancin’ on the Avenue” include: CEFCU, Peak Travel, Sereno Group, Intero, Western Bancorp, First American Title, Del Grande Dealership Group, Wells Fargo Bank, Bright Horizons, Bottomley Distributing, Xfinity Comcast, Solar Universe, Provident Credit Union, Culligan Water, Bank of America and Merrill Edge, Barracuda Networks, Comerica, Bloom Bridal Boutique, DeMattei Construction, ProTemp Accounting, Miramar Hospitality, Classic Car Wash, San Jose Montessori School, Silicon Valley Community Newspapers, and KRTY/KLIV Empire Broadcasting.

# # #

About the Willow Glen Business Association:

Willow Glen’s merchants have been organized, active and supportive of the community since the 1930’s. By 1988, the Willow Glen Business Association and a Business Improvement District (BID) were in place to assist local business maintain and promote downtown Willow Glen as an ideal place to eat, shop and locate new business. In 2010, the BID gave way to the formation of a CBID with the same goals.

“Dancin’ on The Avenue” is sponsored by the Willow Glen Business Association. Funds generated from the event go towards supporting other projects for the local business district such as holiday events, beautification projects and financial support of local schools.

# # #

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

The Farmers Union is Opening June 28th!

After sitting vacant since Agave Viejo closed three years ago, the flagship retail space at the corner of San Pedro and Santa Clara is about to burst back to life as The Farmers Union. The restaurant and bar will clock in at 7,000 SQFT, have 60 beers on tap (mostly the craft brew variety), encompass two stories, and be filled with historic photos from San Jose's past. The targeted opening date is next Friday, June 28th. This is a key space to activate since it will welcome visitors to San Pedro Square and is across the street from the new One South high-rise that recently broke ground.

I've said it a dozen times, but I'll say it again... 2013 is going to be a great year for Downtown San Jose!

Source: SVBJ