SF Beer Week is Here! Check it out With the "Japantown Beer Walk"

                                                       JAPANTOWN BEER WALK-

                            LOCATION: SAN JOSE'S JAPANTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD

                                                             FEBRUARY 8TH, 2014

                                                                 TIME: 2PM - 6PM

SF Beer Week is here yet again, starting off its opening Gala on February 7^th 2014, at the Concourse Exhibition Center in San Francisco. The San Francisco Brewers Guild and associates sponsor this week-long event as a collaborative effort between local breweries and participating cities throughout the Bay Area. As it states on their website, “Our purpose is to restore and preserve San Francisco’s brewing heritage, and unite those who make local beer with those who love it”; it couldn't be done in a better fashion than its week’s worth of events and activities dedicated to the craft of brewing. The contagious spirit of this eventful week and its rising fame--putting together as many as 500 events--has reached into neighboring cities, and has made its way into San Jose’s Japantown. Participants in association with the festivities have made this ongoing tradition hit its 6^th year in the Bay Area, and for San Jose’s Japantown Beer Walk it marks its 3rd year with beer tasting sweetness at every unique destination.

As it grows in popularity there is an ongoing effort between organizations to bring awareness to this cool tradition located near the heart of Downtown San Jose. I had the pleasure of participating last year for the first time. Joining me was a good friend and we had an inebriating experience walking from establishment to establishment, tasting what seemed like a good amount of quality beer. Which now reminds me; it might be his turn to buy the tickets this time around, and I should recommend dinner a little closer to the event than his house down the street. Not that the Bar-B-Q was bad (the slow cooked ribs were delicious), but I’m definitely looking forward to some sushi, or a teriyaki chicken bowl between destinations. There are a variety of great restaurants, and parlors in the neighborhood in which to dine and snack at, and it’s a good idea to take a little extra cash for any on the spot purchases you might have an itch for.

There are plenty of attractions that bring this beer walk together and if the weather permits, it should be a great one to join in on this weekend. You can take a nice long stroll with your dog to visit the many Art Galleries in the neighborhood, and if your sitter isn’t available to watch the kids; than at least one parent can enjoy the beer while the other shops at one of the many establishments and boutiques that will be open that day catering to the event between 2-6pm. Registration starts at Jack’s Bar at 12pm.

Between the many breweries that participated last year and will be participating this year, I would have to say it will be hard to predict what will grab my attention. Many will be participating and there are vast choices at the local liquor store now; all with different names, different alcohol content, and cool looking labels. So, what I will do this time around is write down on a Jacks Bar napkin my favorite brewery and the reasons why. I will challenge you all to do the same, and if you can, send it out that day on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook with the hashtag #beerlist, to see if we all can maybe agree on a favorite to remember for next time we’re at Bevmo. For the sake of the companies and destinations participating in the Japantown Beer Walk be sure to hashtag their names on your pictures and posts, and don’t forget to include cool hashtags like #japantownbeerwalk #sfbeerweek #SJcheckthisout #thisbeerisawesome….A few hours later… #ilostmyphone #waitimonmyphone #takingacab

But please people, drink responsibly. There is a need for this city’s citizens to take matters into the hands of sober good friends, family members, or at the very least cab drivers willing to drive you and your party around. Also, enjoy the many festivities presented throughout the Bay Area running until February 16^th, 2014. For more information with locations, events, and activities running throughout the Bay Area go to http://www.sfbeerweek.org/schedule/. You can find a list of breweries, locations, and buy your tickets in advance for the Japan Town Beer Walk at www.thebeerwalk.com, or at Jack’s Bar located at 167 E. Taylor St., San Jose CA for $30 ($35 the day of). Check out http://sfbrewersguild.org for a more in depth look at what’s brewing around Northern California, and be sure to remember not to drink and drive.

Lunar New Year Event @ Valley Fair this Saturday

Westfield Valley Fair is hosting a cultural event on February 8th in celebration of the lunar new year. The agenda includes Shanxi drummers, martial arts demonstrations, a traditional lion dance, and calligraphy. The kids will also be well served with craft tables, photo booths, and student art.

The event runs from 11am to 2pm at J. Crew Court and you can RSVP at their Facebook event page right over here.

You're Invited! First to Market - New restaurant opening in the SoFA District

Opening this month in the SoFA District - First to Market, an American comfort food restaurant. 

Full disclosure before I get into the nitty gritty - I am friends with one of the owners. However, he didn't ask me to blog about it - but I am, because I know you would all want to know about what this new restaurant is about. 

Also because I'm inviting you, The San Jose Blog readers, to a special soft opening! But first, a little more about the restaurant...

First to Market, located on the street level of the Agenda building in the SoFA District will bring downtown signature dishes from Chef Domingo Wolbert such as Bison Tartare, Shrimp and Grits, and Housemade Tots to name just a few. They will also be the first restaurant in San Jose to carry an authentic Southern Country Ham. Their menu will be seasonal, allowing even regulars to continue to experience new tastes as the year goes on.

Owners Joe Gradillas and Jennifer Lin were both raised and educated in San Jose. Between them, they have extensive entrepreneur and restaurant experience; Gradillas has had success with several businesses downtown and Lin has a degree in Hospitality Management from SJSU along with a Culinary Arts degree from PCI.

When asked about the origin of the name, First to Market, this is what they had to say:

"It describes a time in US history when all food was made from scratch, and processed, shelf stable or frozen foods didn't dominate the shelves of pantries and refrigerators. This was a time when "supermarkets" didn't exist, and to plan a celebration, family members would have to plan early trips to the local market, to ensure they would have everything they need and get started on preparing the meal with ample time to finish. We want the food to be reminiscent of that time, when rich flavors came from the love of preparing a meal from scratch for the entire day. However, we have a running joke that we chose the name because we are literally located on First street, between First and Market Street."

Because starting any new business can be adventurous, the owners have started a small fundraising campaign to help cushion the first months of opening. If you'd like to help them out - check out their indiegogo.com campaign here: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/help-bring-american-regional-cuisine-to-downtown-san-jose

They haven't forgotten about where they are, the SoFA District. Art and community is a big part of that area of Downtown (First Fridays, SubZero, The ZERO1 Garage, etc) and to bring an element of that into the restaurant they will have one of their large walls dedicated to a local artist each month. Now, tooting my own horn for just a moment -- I was honored to be the first artist to showcase on their wall! As you walk in, you will see a handful of my photography pieces; I've themed my collection to include people and scenes from the South Bay/San Jose area. Be sure to check them out and see what you recognize.

Now here's the fun part - for me, and for you, of course.

You are invited to a soft-opening as my guest!

Join me, Josh, and others as we welcome First to Market to the SoFA District.

Special Event

Date: Friday, February 21st 

Time: 5pm to 9pm
Address: 399 S 1st Street, San Jose

Bring your friends and mix and mingle as you check out the newly decorated building, meet the owners, and best of all - get a chance to taste a select menu! Items will be available as appetizers to sample, FREE to guests. 

We really hope you can make it out, as we'd love to get a chance to meet with our loyal readers! Please let us know you'll be joining us via the comments, Twitter or Facebook!

If you miss the soft-opening, stop by after February 25th when they will officially be open!

Downtown Illumination Project Takes a Step Forward

The Office of Cultural Affairs nabbed a $600,000 ArtPlace America grant a couple years back to implement several art projects Downtown. The first two are moving forward with the adoption of a resolution to execute an agreement with Dan Corson, who will be responsible for the artwork at Highway 87 & Santa Clara as well as Highway 87 & San Fernando. We also have more details on the project itself.

The Santa Clara Street project will be called Sensing You and will include a mural covering the columns and "underside" of the overpass as well as LED lighting elements. Sounds great so far, no? It gets better. The project includes sensors that cause the artwork to react based on the volume of pedestrian traffic. There will also be a partnership with Google's Nitanic Lab--creators of the augmented reality game Ingress--that will allow players to have special abilities to interact with the artwork. Awesome.

Over at San Fernando Street, the project will be entitled Sensing Water. The LED artwork will vary day to day and season to season based on information taken from the Guadalupe River.

I'm very much looking forward to seeing both of these come to life, as well as the other artwork and interactive exhibits that the grant will bring Downtown!

Hat tip to Brent Pearse for sending this in.

Highway 87 & Santa Clara Street

Highway 87 & San Fernando Street

Downtown San Jose Office Vacancy Falls Below 20%

After several years of 20%+ vacancy in the Downtown office submarket we have finally broken that barrier. In the 4th quarter of 2013, vacancy dropped from 20.9% to 19.5%. The total amount of office space Downtown is 8.4 million SQFT and the average rents are around $2.74, far below most parts of Silicon Valley.

The notable 2013 leases mentioned in the Silicon Valley Business Journal article are:

• Apigee (moved from Palo Alto) - 41,000 SQFT @ 10 Almaden
• Bridge Bank - 18,500 SQFT expansion @ 55 Almaden
• Miller Morton - 15,000 SQFT @ 50 West San Fernando
• CiperCloud - 20,000 SQFT @ 333 West San Carlos

While 19.5% is still quite high--especially compared to Palo Alto and Mountain View--the trend is very positive. The previous quarter also saw a 1% drop in vacancies. With more residential towers on the way and a booming restaurant scene, I fully expect vacancies to continue to decrease. Downtown San Jose is perhaps Silicon Valley's best kept secret regarding office space. Rates are low, the area is easily walkable with great access to mass transit, easy access to the airport, hundreds of restaurants and bars, a renovated convention center, tons of hotels, the SAP center, and now we even have a patent office.

Source: SVBJ

LastLightBender

San Jose Makes Global Momentum Index!

Commercial real estate services company Jones Lang LaSalle has identified cities around the world that have the combination of strong socio-economic and commercial real estate momentum, as well as longer-term foundations for success. The company has created the "City Momentum Index" where San Jose ranks quite well and is sitting shoulder to shoulder with great international cities. At 9th place on the list, San Jose is nestled between Hong Kong (8th) and Singapore (10th). New York comes in at #6 while San Francisco commanded the top spot. LA is 15th on the list, Boston is 17th, and Seattle is 18th.

The factors in the index include economic output, population, Fortune 2000 HQs, foreign direct investment, commercial real estate construction/absorption/prices, higher education infrastructure, technology/venture capital, and innovation capability.

You never in a million years would have found San Jose on a list like this a couple of decades ago--we've really come a long way. Looking forward to seeing where all this momentum will take us.

You can access the full article over here. Hat tip to Todd Horvitz for sending this in.

Original Joe's Featured on the Travel Channel

Source: I Heart SJ

Fogo de Chão Coming to San Jose this Month!

Internationally renowned Brazilian steakhouse Fogo de Chão is opening their first Northern Californian location later this month at Santana Row. I will have more information about the restaurant later in February, but for now there is a neat video about the "Gaucho Way" and a contest for a 7-day expedition to Brazil below. I am really, really looking forward to this restaurant!

Brazilian Steakhouse Fogo de Chão, Opening Its First Northern California Location in February, Launches “Expedition Brazil,” A National Contest for Adventure-Seeking “Culture-vores”

Fogo de Chão has launched “Expedition Brazil,” a national contest that is perfectly fit for adventure-seeking Fogo fans. It invites these “culture-vores” into the world of Fogo by offering an insider’s look into the beautiful country of Brazil. One lucky fan and their guest will be awarded one of four, 7-day travel expeditions that include dining at a Fogo restaurant in Brazil. Entries are accepted through Feb. 16, 2014, and judging is based on several criteria such as creativity and uniqueness of the submission, describing why they are perfect to win the exciting journey. Complete details and Official Rules at: www.fogo.com/expedition. Fogo de Chão will open its first Northern California location at Santana Row in San Jose in February 2014.

In September 2013, U.S Fogo de Chão assembled a team of Fogo leadership and Brazilian gauchos to return to Southern Brazil, where the deep cultural roots of Fogo de Chão were formed. They spent time on the family farms of authentic Fogo de Chão gaucho chefs and became immersed in the rich Southern Brazilian culture. “It was during our own expedition to Brazil that we were inspired to fully develop the contest, as we realized what an incredible insider’s look we could provide to our guests,” says Fogo de Chão marketing director Andy Feldmann, “What better way to create something special for our fans than to send them on an unforgettable adventure throughout Brazil, where Fogo de Chão originated?”

The contest was launched in conjunction with “The Gaucho Way,” a short 3-minute film that tells the Fogo story through the eyes of one of their gauchos. The majority of the video was shot on location in Southern Brazil. The story represents the many gauchos that have traveled to the U.S. with Fogo to share their culture here in America. The film brings to life the passion, heritage and distinctive culinary style that Fogo has been known for since it opened its first restaurant in Brazil in 1979, before importing the concept to the U.S. in 1997. The documentary can be viewed at fogo.com/expedition or http://www.youtube.com/fogorestaurants.

About Fogo de Chão

Fogo de Chão^® Churrascaria - Brazilian Steakhouse was founded in 1979 in Porto Alegre, Brazil and expanded into the U.S. in 1997. There are currently 22 locations throughout the United States and nine locations in Brazil with the recent openings in New York City and the Jardins neighborhood of São Paulo. San Jose, California to follow in 2014. For more information, please visit www.fogo.com. Follow FOGO on Facebook.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Submission period ends on 2/16/14. Open to legal residents of 50 U.S. and DC, 21 and older. Void where prohibited. For Official Rules, click here. Sponsor: Fogo de Chão (Holdings) Inc. 14881 Quorum Drive, Suite 750, Dallas, Texas 75254.

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Saturday Stats: Santa Clara County has the 5th Largest Homeless Population in the US

Homelessness is one of the key issues our area is facing more and more each day. A federal survey has come out saying homelessness has declined overall, but Santa Clara County has the 5th largest homeless population in the US. This is not adjusted on a per capita basis (like the map below), but raw numbers.

Homeless Populations

• New York City: 64,060
• Los Angeles city and county: 53,798
• Seattle/King County: 9,106
• San Diego city and county: 8,879
• San Jose/Santa Clara County: 7,631

I am a little bit skeptical about the data given SF is not on the top 5, but Santa Clara County does have more than double the population of SF County. On a per capita basis I would expect Santa Clara County to be lower on the list.

The real bad news is that they are not mostly transients that are flocking to the South Bay for awesome weather and a liberal environment. 85% of the homeless here had their last permanent residency within the county. This isn't something that we can easily sweep under the rug, most of these people were former neighbors at one point.

Source: Anonymous Poster, The Merc

Battledish Downtown San Jose

San Jose is participating in an international cooking competition called Battledish, which is actually hosted by our friends at Dishcrawl. Six chefs have been chosen to compete in "Battledish San Jose." Each chef will be preparing a miniature version of their signature plate along with a drink pairing. Each dish (or drink pairing) is available for only $5, and the participants are the ones who rate the food and determine the king of Battledish.

Sounds like an awesome event! It is all going down at the San Pedro Square Market between 2-6pm on February 8th. You can get your tickets right over here.

Chinese New Year @ Santana Row

Kung Hei Fat Choi!

Chinese New Year at Santana Row

Celebrate the Year of the Horse on Saturday, Feb. 22at

  Silicon Valley’s Premier Destination


 

SAN JOSE (Jan. 28, 2014) Santana Row’s annual celebration of the new lunar year begins at 1 p.m. on Feb. 22 with the exciting drumbeats and crashing cymbals of the lion and dragon dances in Santana Row Park.

New this year, traditional red envelopes, called “lai see” will be distributed to guests, with one lucky winner finding a $1,000 Santana Row gift card inside. Every envelope will contain discount coupons for shopping and complimentary two-week passes to Club One Fitness.

When: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 22

Where: Santana Row Park, across from Left Bank Brassiere

What: A festive afternoon celebrating the Lunar New Year. Lucky red envelopes will be distributed to guests from 1 to 4 p.m.

 with one extra lucky winner who will find a $1,000 Santana Row Gift Card inside. All other envelopes will contain coupons, certificates and discounts to stores such as Icebreaker Touchlab and Lucy as well as complimentary two-week passes to Club One Fitness.

The afternoon is filled with a lineup of traditional live performances celebrating the start of a new year, including martial arts demonstrations, fashion presentations, music, singing and dancing.

The event is free and open to the public.

Happy Hollow Park & Zoo Nabs $1M for Upgrades

Happy Hollow has just received an anonymous $1 million donation donation, which is the largest gift it has ever received. The donation will go towards planning a future multispecies exhibit (multiple animals cohabitating) as well as upgrading the lower zoo area.

While not exactly the largest zoo in the world, I was very impressed with the renovation that was done several years ago. The lemur exhibit at the entrance of the park is particularly interesting since it incorporates an area where children can play while watching/imitating the animals. Hopefully they keep this level of interactivity in mind when planning out their renovations and new exhibits.

Source: The Merc

San Jose Earthquakes 40th Anniversary Celebration!

The Quakes have been representing San Jose for four decades now, and they hosting a big party to celebrate on January 30th at the San Pedro Square Market. There will be live music, a meet & greet with the players, and they are giving away an autographed 2014 Earthquakes jersey. However, the highlight of the night will probably be the big reveal of their brand new logo and jersey.

The festivities go from 5:30pm to 9pm. The event is free and you can RSVP right over here.

Campaign to Reopen Cine Mexico Theater

The Cine Mexico Theater on Santa Clara Street opened as the Mayfair in 1949 and was once owned by Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak in the 1980s. Stephanie Chang has initiated a gofundme campaign to reopen the neglected landmark as a live music and entertainment venue. She is also proposing to reinstall a projector and show movies again as well as adding a coffeehouse, cafe, and art gallery. Stephanie is looking to raise $19,000 for the project.

For more information, just head over to the gofundme page. Thanks to Alyssa Kies for sending this in!

Latest from Bay Area Die Hard Co.

Check out the latest news about San Jose-based Bay Are Die Hard Co. in the release below. They also just launched a limited edition line for the US team at Sochi (use the promo code "GO USA" for a 20% discount, click here to see the options).

BAY AREA SPORTS APPAREL FROM DIE HARD COMPANY, ON THE RISE IN THE BAY AREA

 

SAN JOSE, Calif., — Since 2010, local clothing company, Die Hard Co. has been providing Bay Area sports fans apparel, including t-shirts, sweaters and hats, to wear proudly when cheering on their favorite team.  Their tagline “Sport Your Colors” is the foundation for their brand as they strictly cater to the loyal fans of the seven professional sports teams in the San Francisco Bay Area.

 

“We represent the die hard fans.  We want them to be able to represent their team at anytime, giving them an alternative from the logos,” said Adam Mayberry, co-creator of DieHard Co.

           

In the spring of 2010, brothers Adam and Ben Mayberry wanted to create a line of clothing that reflected their passion for Bay Area sports while incorporating their skills as designers—Adam in architecture and Ben a graphic designer. Their first design, “Big Time Timmy Jim” was inspired by the 2010 ESPN commercial with Tim Lincecum and was a hit that following fall when the Giants won the World Series. 

 

 

Now with thirty designs to choose from in their online store—including their best-selling “Hella,” “Fin City” and “I Survived the Stick” t-shirts—Die Hard Co. continues to grow, garnering a vast following of fans on their social media platforms.

 

One special fan of the brand, Alex Boone, offensive guard of the San Francisco 49ers, took interest in DieHard Co. and asked the Mayberry brothers to create a design that represented Boone’s moniker, “The Rhino” during the 2013 Super Bowl. It has been seen on Boone as well as on defensive end, Justin Smith and is among their product list to choose from on their website.  Amid last Sunday’s when against the Carolina Panthers, Boone announced on his Instagram profile that he will be donating the proceeds made from DieHard’s “The Rhino” t-shirt towards the San Francisco Zoo. 

 

Die Hard Co. has been awarded the Creative Industries Incentive Fund grant through The City of San Jose Office of Cultural Affairs and the Center for Cultural Innovation.  The money received from this grant will allow them to fund part of the budget needed to manufacture shirts at a higher quality to the exact specifications of Die Hard fans—color, material, size and branding will all be upgraded.

 

The additional funding needed will come from a KickStarter campaign in late February to match the money from the grant. The project will allow Die Hard Co. to bypass buying premade shirts from a distributor which has set colors and materials that are mostly made overseas. The new line will be Made in the USA.

 

With these future projects lined up, Die Hard Company will continue to grow as a brand and provide fans unique ways to Sport Their Colors no matter what they are doing.

 

For more information and updates on DieHard Co., visit http://www.diehard.co or contact adam@diehard.co

Saturday Stats: San Jose Metro is the #1 Area to Flip a House

Flipping a house involves buying a property, renovating it, and reselling it. It is a key measure of housing market activity. According to 24/7 Wall St., San Jose is killing it when it comes to flipping homes. In fact, they ranked the region as the #1 place in the county to flip a home. The average gross profit flippers nabbed in San Jose is $166,287. The average selling price of the renovated homes came in at $704,762... which is the highest among all areas in the study. Check out the full list of cities (metros actually) below.

TOP 10 BEST CITIES TO FLIP A HOUSE

1.) San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
2.) San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
3.) Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
4.) Ocean City, NJ
5.) Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA
6.) San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA
7.) Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
8.) Salinas, CA
9.) Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
10.) Vallejo-Fairfield, CA

Source: 24/7 Wall St., Hat-tip to Barclay Livker

San Jose: The Smartest City In America (as seen on The TODAY Show)

In case you missed it - San Jose was featured on The TODAY Show this morning. In their "Healthy, Wealthy, Wise" segment, they showed a video about the innovative and awesome place we call home - San Jose.

Check out the video:

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Rockage 3.0: February 7-9th @ SJSU Student Union

Three days of indie music and retro gaming will be coming to Downtown San Jose in early February. Rockage 3.0 features 25 bands (several local ones), DJs, and 50+ classic arcades and pinball machines. You will even be able to meet independent game soundtrack composers and learn about their craft. This sounds like a great event for fans of either indie music and/or video games, which I'm sure you will find a lot of in San Jose.

This is the largest Rockage event so far, and is targeted towards all ages. You can learn more at RockageSJ.com or their Facebook page. Head down past the flier for the full release.

ROCKAGE INDIE MUSIC AND RETRO VIDEO GAME CELEBRATION RETURNS TO DOWNTOWN SAN JOSE FOR THE THIRD YEAR AT A NEW VENUE ON SAN JOSE STATE CAMPUS
            

* * Featuring live music from 25+ bands/ DJs and a huge collection of retro video games **

WHAT:            

For three exciting days, music and video game fans will experience some of the most cherished old school video games in the ultimate celebration of independent music, digital nostalgia, and retro bliss as Rockage 3.0^® returns to Downtown San Jose!  More than 25 dynamic indie rock bands, chiptune artists and DJs will perform over the weekend in front of a classic free play arcade backdrop of more than 50 rare classic cabinets and pinball. 

In addition to the live music and arcade, die-hard fans can meet the composers of many modern independent game soundtracks and learn how to make their own chiptune music through workshops and panels. The intimate venue on campus at San Jose State University gives fans unparalleled access to meet and play their all-time favorite video games with their favorite independent musicians! 

Bit Brigade, video game rock band from Athens, Georgia, will be headlining the event. They will perform the full soundtrack and simultaneous speed run of The Legend Of Zelda for the first time on the West Coast live on Saturday, February 8^th.

One of the steady-growing independent music festivals in the Bay Area, Rockage 3.0^® has doubled attendance each year providing quality low-priced family entertainment in Downtown San Jose. Now in its third year, Rockage 3.0^® looks to extend its appeal to a like-minded audience with more bands, more games, and more excitement.

WHO:               

Bit Brigade, Mega Ran, crashfaster, Slime Girls, Danimal Cannon, The Megas, Curious Quail, Matthew Joseph Payne, Super Soul Bros., Picture Atlantic, Good Hustle, Gnarboots, Space Town Savior, Cartoon Violence, Petriform, Together We Are Robots, Hawk Jones, The Albert Square, Ghost & The City, Porch, Lady Game Lyric, Space Boyfriend, Cartoon Bar Fight, Boboso, Jean Baudin, Continuum Kingdom, DJ Mr Smith, DJ Coco.                       

WHERE:          

San Jose State University, Student Union Ballroom – One Washington Square, San Jose, CA 95192

WHEN:            

Friday, February 7 – Sunday, February 9, 2014Friday 3:00 PM – midnight
Saturday NOON – midnight
Sunday NOON – 8:00 PM

TICKETS*:      

Ticket prices – $30 for a 3-day pass or $20 for one day, at the door.                       

Advance tickets – $30 for a 3-day pass http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/540015

Kids tickets (ages 2-12) – FREE on Sunday (2/9) at the door with adult admission.

*Tickets may be subject to service charges, facility and handling fees.  

For more information and updates log onto http://www.RockageSJ.com

Or visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/1414152018821817/ or http://twitter.com/RockageSJ

Josh Marcotte @ Bela La Vie

Come check out local guerrilla photographer Josh Marcotte's latest work this weekend at Bela La Vie!

Source: Phantom Galleries

Bela La Vie presents: "Mobile Manipulation" Hipstamatic photos by Josh Marcotte. Opening Reception January 25th, 7–10pm 311 E. Campbell Ave. Campbell, CA

January 2014 Downtown Dimension Highlights

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

• The Downtown Association's Design Review Committee awarded three golden nail awards for Downtown beautification:
• The Gold Building (55 S market)
• CityView Plaza
• Orchestria Palm Court
• Aavid Design Corp is moving its nine employees from Cupertino to Downtown San Jose.
• San Jose's Department of Transportation officially opened the green, buffered bikeways along San Fernando from Cahill to 11th.
• The San Jose Civic Auditorium was rebranded the City National Civic.
• Essential Travel, a travel magazine based in the UK, said Christmas in the Park is one of the top 10 Christmas displays in the world.
• A new Business Coaching Center for those looking to launch or expand a business in San Jose is available at: sanjoseca.gov/index.aspx?NID=3457
• Ike's Sandwiches is open at 75 E. Santa Clara.
• Brix Nightclub at 349 S. First has been remodeled into the "Metropolitan" [Josh: I'm getting the impression that it is either no longer a gay club, or is at least trying to be more inclusive of those attracted to the opposite sex]
• Caffe Frascati owner has turned a 3-wheeled utility van into a portable espresso station (it premiered during the last South First Friday).
• 8 Treasure Restaurant is now open at 150 S. First, replacing Asian Gourmet.
• Power Bowl is open at 132 E. San Fernando and features authentic acai bowls and detox drinks.

To read the full newsletter, click here!

Caffe Frascati Named One of the Best Coffee Shops in the World!

Huge congratulations to Caffe Frascati for making it to an international list of best coffee shops on BBC Travel. The quote is priceless "In my opinion, the coffee is, without a doubt, the best in both the US and the UK" [Josh: okay I did fix a small typo in there]. I have to agree that it is a super cool coffee shop with a quality product, loads of character, and a friendly owner that is passionate about what he does. The live music at night is a nice touch (Opera on First Fridays).

Source: I Heart SJ, BBC

Downtown San Jose Development Projects Map

There are so many big projects kicking off in Downtown San Jose, that we need a map to keep track of them all. Below is a nice one put together by the city that shows all projects that are under construction, in planning, and even goes so far as to highlight key areas for future infill development. You can click the map below to enlarge or access a PDF version right over here.

DOWNTOWN SAN JOSE - CURRENT DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

1. North San Pedro - 408 Units, Est. Completion 2016
2. Little Italy Developments
3. Santa Clara County Family Justice Center - Est. Completion 2015
4. St. James Towers - 612 Units, 10,000 SQFT Retail, Est. Completion 2016
5. Centerra - 347 Units, 7,000 SQFT Retail, Est. Completion 2015
6. Fairfield Mid-Rise - 195 Units, Retail
7. Hampton Inn & Suites - 197 Rooms, 5,900 SQFT Retail, Est. Completion 2015
8. Symphony Development - 127 Units (Student Housing)
9. One South - 312 Units, 6,000 SQFT Retail, Est. Completion 2015
10. Post & San Pedro Tower - 156 Units, 4,100 SQFT Retail
11. San Jose Convention Center $130 Million Expansion
12. Balbach Condos - 100 Units
13. The Pierce - 234 Units, 9,400 SQFT Retail, Est. Completion 2015
14. Parkview Towers - 197 Units, 5,000 SQFT Retail

Whiskies of the World 2014 @ SPSM

If you are a fan of whiskey, the San Pedro Square Market is hosting a substantial whiskey event with food pairings, a seminar, and of course tastings. Ignore the Christmas references below, I wanted to post this a bit closer to the event date of March 27th! For details and links just keep on reading.

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Mark your calendars and save the date of March 27th, 2014 for a very special event at the San Pedro Square Market in Downtown San Jose!

We are pre-selling tickets right now for this exclusive engagement (can someone say stocking stuffer!?)

Check out the eventbrite ticket link by clicking HERE.



Whiskies of the World Expo will treat both the whiskey connoisseur and novice alike with hundreds of the world’s most renowned whiskies. Coming in March, sample Scotch, Irish, American, Canadian, Australian, and Indian whiskies, bourbons, single malts, blends, and many other styles of liquid delicacies.

• Pair dishes with your favorite whiskies.
• Meet and share a dram with the whiskey stars, master distillers, blenders, and nosers.
• Attend a fun and informative whiskey seminar to learn first-hand and mouth from the whiskey experts.
• Come and be among the first to learn and experience a night of delicious spirited fun!

Don't forget to purchase tickets as a last minute Christmas gift for the Whiskey lover in your life by clicking HERE!