Major mixed-use redevelopment project proposed on Stevens Creek

West San Jose has not been getting a lot of attention lately when it comes to major development projects--especially when compared to Downtown and North San Jose. Developer FortBay LLC is stepping up to the plate and is proposing a 244,000 SQFT office complex along with 500 apartments at Stevens Creek and Lopina Way. That would been enough space for 1,500 jobs in West San Jose, allowing more residential to be built without contributing to our current jobs/housing imbalance.

The apartments would be built in two six-story buildings, the office would be in a separate six-story building, and there would be a six-story garage to handle the parking. It looks like the developers are a fan of buildings with six levels. Unfortunately it does not sound like there is a retail component.

Right now the area is not permitted for residential, so the developer is hoping to get "signature project" status which would given them a bit of leeway here. Combining office and residential into an urban village makes a lot of sense from a logistics and parking perspective, so I hope this goes through.

Source: SVBJ

WeWork is now open in Downtown San Jose

The Silicon Valley Business Journal has some great photos of San Jose's largest coworking space. WeWork has opened a 75,000 SQFT facility at 75 E. Santa Clara Street that provides flexible working space for small businesses and entrepreneurs. Over 60 companies are already in the process of moving in. The total capacity is 1,500 people (100-200 small companies).

Prices range from $350/mo for a "hot desk", $400-$450 for a dedicated desk, $660/mo for a one-person office and increase from that point on. WeWork provides all the necessary amenities and infrastructure such as internet access, printers, conference rooms, cleaning services, water, and coffee.

It's a great model for small companies that also provides a sense of community. Oh yeah, coworking also injects hundreds of entrepreneurs into the Downtown San Jose community, adding to the vibrancy of the area. NextSpace was the first coworking space in Downtown San Jose and it helped to transform that corner at 97 S. 2nd Street.

Check out the source link below for photos of the WeWork facilities and more information.

Source: SVBJ

United and JetBlue add more flights at SJC

This is becoming an ongoing theme. San Jose International continues to attract more and more flights, something which I find very well deserved. Beside the obvious location advantages, it is one of the best operated airports I have ever been to. Flights are rarely delayed, it is surprisingly fast to get to the gate, baggage comes quickly, even the TSA seems friendlier than other airports.

Finally the word is getting out--passenger traffic is up 9% at SJC in the first six months of 2016 and both United and JetBlue are adding more flights and routes. United is taking a page from Alaska's book and will fly directly from San Jose to Newark in March. That is not only the exact same time-frame as the new Alaska Airlines flight to New York, but the flight will leave and return at the exact same time (6:30am departure from SJC, arriving at EWR at 2:55pm, return flight leaves EWR at 4:05pm and arrives at SJC at 7:40pm). I was suspicious that this is the same flight as Alaska Airlines co-listed as United, but that does not seem to be the case. United is also adding a twice-daily nonstop from San Jose to Chicago O'Hare.

JetBlue is launching a nonstop between San Jose and Long Beach starting January 4th, 2017. The best part is that the route will be flown not once, not twice, but four times each day. This addition means that San Jose now has direct flights to all five LA airports (LAX, Burbank, Orange County, and Ontario are the others). JetBlue is promoting the flight with rates as low as $39 each way.

Sources: Forbes (thanks Josh Russell for sending this in), SVBJ

August 2016 Downtown Dimension Highlights

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

• The Family Justice Center is now open, merging six locations into a single courthouse facility. The eight story building is 233,906 SQFT and contains 20 different courtrooms.
• Four landscaping and design firms each received $25k to create a new vision for St. James Park. The new design must include a water feature and Levitt Pavilion outdoor stage.
• Downtown Doors expands to 103 sites, 20 new pieces of artwork have been added to Downtown sites.
• Starlight Cinemas is bringing back its movie series at St. James Park. Jurassic Park will play on Aug. 31 and Beetlejuice will air on Sep. 21.
• Jazz Summer Fest is taking place from Aug 12-14th, featuring 120 performances on 12 stages and bringing tens of thousands of people to Downtown San Jose.
• Origins Juicery, Downtown's first cold-pressed juice store, is now open at 150 S. 1st Street
• Pieology is now open at 99 E. San Fernando St.

To read the newsletter, click here!

Omescape San Jose adds a 4th escape game - Pandemic Zero

Escape games are continuing to become more and more popular in the Bay Area. I love them, even thought I lost the first three rooms I attempted. They are not easy (only 15-33% of teams escape), but even if you lose it is a great experience.

The concept is similar for all of these rooms: you are locked in and have an hour to solve a series of puzzles in order to unlock the door and escape. Some companies create rooms that are better and more interesting than others. So far I have done three of the Omescape rooms and they have been among my favorites. Omescape uses a lot of special effects, tactile challenges (as opposed to solving lots of math problems), and utilizes multiple rooms/secret doors for each escape.

Omescape San Jose launched with three rooms: Kingdom of Cats (easiest, 2-6 players), Dark Altar (medium difficulty, 4-6 players), and Joker's Asylum (very hard, 6-10 players). Their fourth room is called Pandemic Zero and is medium difficulty (3-6 players). Here is a description of their latest challenge:

Pandemic Zero
A super virus has infected 95% of the world's population.
You have discovered the location of a top-secret lab. However, the entrance to it has been locked because of a citywide quarantine.
Can you find the hidden entrance underneath the city in the sewers and finish work on the cure before you become infected too?

I'm really stoked to try it out next weekend. They are also working on a fifth room that is still 2-3 months away, which will make it the largest escape room facility in the Bay Area and perhaps California. If you have yet to do an escape room, try Kingdom of Cats and you'll be hooked.

Omescape San Jose is located at 625 Wool Creek Dr, Ste E, San Jose 95112. Check out their Facebook page over here and book tickets here.

Almaden Boulevard is getting an exercise loop

The first time I saw a public outdoor exercise area with free equipment to use was in Israel five or six years ago. Since then I have always thought this would be a great addition to San Jose, especially given our weather and the fact that San Jose is one of the healthiest cities in the US. It looks like we are finally getting such a space in 2017.

A one-mile-long exercise loop will be built in Downtown San Jose thanks to donations from Kaiser Permanente, the Sharks Foundation, and SAP. The loop will consist of two exercise elements: the loop itself (which is designed for walking, jogging, or running) and a "Fitness Hub" in the median of Almaden Boulevard and Santa Clara Street. There will also be smaller fitness areas placed throughout the loop for smaller groups.

The Fitness Hub will have several pieces of equipment that residents and visitors can use and it is right next to a Bay Area BikeShare station. This is a great way to encourage people to be healthy while and removing the financial barrier of a gym membership.

The Downtown PBID (property-based improvement district) is also seeking a designer to construct and install a sign for the exercise loop. If you know anyone that may fit the bill for that type of job, contact information is below.

Request for Qualifications (RFQ)

The Downtown Property-Based Improvement District (PBID) is seeking to select a designer(s) to construct and install a vertical entry sign/monument for the Exercise Loop in downtown San Jose. The designer(s) will work with the San Jose Downtown Association (SJDA) to develop their piece in the Fitness Hub located in the median of Almaden Boulevard and Santa Clara Street.  The entry/monument will not only identify the Exercise Loop by name, but must also express branding and wayfinding elements for the Exercise Loop itself.

To be considered for this project, refer to the application process and send the information by Friday, August 19, 2016 by 5:30 pm.

For more Information, please direct questions to Stephanie Wong, PBID Project Coordinator, swong@sjdowntown.com

Gree opening commercial flagship store in san jose

Gree Electric is the largest air conditioning firm in the world. With the opening of their flagship store in San Jose, it will mark the very first time that Gree's commercial products will be available in California. While these are not the types of products you and I would buy for our homes, it will benefit Silicon Valley businesses that are looking to reduce HVAC costs and be more "green."

San Jose, CA -- Gree, the world's largest air conditioning manufacturer and a leading Chinese manufacturer of innovative, green, heating and cooling solutions is opening its first showroom for commercial products in California on August 9, 2016. The grand opening reception is scheduled for 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM on Tuesday at ECS Design, Inc. 502 Auzerais Avenue, San Jose, CA 95126. A special ribbon cutting and ceremonial lion dance will take place at 10:00 AM.

ECS Design has been a general contractor and HVAC specialist in San Jose for more than a decade and a strong advocate for green building construction for sustainable growth. According to Richard Wong, President of ECS, "the significance of Gree coming to San Jose is about green energy movement in the US. They are a leader in VRF* air conditioning systems which are emerging in importance everywhere around the world. It is time that we employ these energy-saving systems in the US.”

ECS Design (ecsdesign.net) will serve a role in training for commercial installation of Gree systems and expanding awareness of the company in California. Wong explains "We hope to begin installing Gree commercial systems and will be looking at larger distribution warehouses as we ramp up."

For more information contact ecs@ecsdesign.net.

About Gree
Gree (www.global.gree.com) is a multinational electric company focused on heating and air conditioning in the international market. In China it also manufactures electric appliances. It has a long history of supporting the Chinese government push toward a cleaner environment and green technology solutions. It had sales of (US) $22.9 billion in 2015. Gree is one of the largest female-led companies, operating under the leadership of President Dong Mingzhu since 2001. (http://www.makers.com/china/dong-mingzhu).

* Variable refrigerant flow is an HVAC technology that was invented in Japan by Daikin company in 1982. It uses refrigerant as both the cooling and heating medium and has gained popularity in many parts of the world, but has been slower to catch on in the US.

Saturday Stats: San Jose is the 3rd most educated city in the US

Given that the tech industry is fueled by some of the brightest minds in the world, it should come as no surprise that San Jose ranks as one of the best educated cities in the country. WalletHub looked at the 150 largest metros in the US and compared nine key metrics such as percentage of adults with bachelor's degrees, public school rankings, University rankings, racial gaps in educational attainment, and gender gaps in educational attainment.

After all the numbers were crunched the San Jose metro came in 3rd on the list, only bested by Ann Arbor and Washington DC. Boston came in 6th followed by the San Francisco metro at #7. The same study ranked San Jose as #7 in 2014, so there is a positive trend in our area. To see the full list as well as more stats check out the source link below.

Source: WalletHub, thanks to Barclay Livker for sending this in!

Five Points Cocktail Bar coming to San Pedro Square

Does Downtown San Jose really need another craft cocktail bar? Heck yes it does. Five Points is coming to the San Pedro Square area, nestled between Britannia Arms and AFK Gamer Lounge. There isn't much information on their website besides the following text:

"Honoring the traditions and culture of the old saloons and bars that graced one of the most notorious neighborhoods in America"

Intriguing! For some photos of the interior space head over to the Five Points Facebook page.

Epic list of Downtown San Jose projects

Rosellen Downey from the Silicon Valley Business Journal has compiled a list of major projects in Downtown San Jose. All I can say is wow. If even half of these are developed the Downtown area will look quite differently that it does today.

Source: SVBJ

Enoteca La Storia coming to Little Italy

Little Italy is about to get another flagship restaurant across the street from Henry's Hi-Life. Enoteca La Storia will bring more fresh pastas, pizzas, and paninis to the neighborhood along with Italian cocktails and wines. They already have a very successful and highly rated location in Los Gatos (4.5 stars on Yelp) at 416 North Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos. I can't wait for the San Jose version to open up!

For more info head over to the Enoteca La Storia website.

San Jose's Strike Brewing Co. wins a Silver Medal at the 2016 US Open Beer Championship

Huge congratulations to one of San Jose's first craft beer companies. Strike Brewing Co. scored 2nd place at a national championship among thousands of entries. Their Screaming Hand Imperial Amber Ale took home the Silver in the Imperial Red category. The beer is now sold throughout California, but I would recommend visiting Strike's taproom for the full experience at 2099 S. 10th St. (Wed-Thu 4pm-8pm, Fri 3pm-9pm, Sat 1pm-9pm, Sunday 1pm-7pm).

For more information head over to the Strike website or read the press release below.

SAN JOSE — San Jose craft brewer Strike Brewing Company has won a silver medal for their Screaming Hand Imperial Amber Ale.

Brewmaster and co-founder Drew Ehrlich said, “We’re very proud that Screaming Hand Imperial Amber Ale took Silver in the Imperial Red category of the 2016 U.S. Open Beer Championships. We already thought this beer was special. But it’s great to get the recognition the too.”

Strike co-founder and CEO, Jenny Lewis says “Not only is this great news, it is also perfect timing as we’re helping iconic local skateboarding company Santa Cruz Skateboards celebrate the 30th anniversary of Screaming Hand at their art opening on Friday, August 5th.”

Award winning Screaming Hand Imperial Amber Ale is available throughout the state of California.

For more information, visit StrikeBrewingCo.com/ScreamingHand

###

ABOUT STRIKE BREWING COMPANY
Strike Brewing Company was founded in 2014 and was born out of the desire to make great craft beer. With their standard lineup of ales, seasonal rotation of holiday specialties, and experimental Bullpen Series, Strike Brewing Co. is helping make San Jose a craft beer destination. For more information, visit StrikeBrewingCo.com.

ABOUT SANTA CRUZ SKATEBOARDS
Santa Cruz Skateboards, located in Santa Cruz California, was established in 1973 by then owners, Richard Novak, Doug Haut and Jay Shuirman who founded NHS Inc. Santa Cruz Skateboards has long been revered as one of the original skateboard companies that has not only survived over the years but contributed to the innovation and modernization of skateboards and skateboarding. In 2013 NHS celebrated its 40th anniversary. Follow us on Instagram @Santacruzskateboards and @Santacruzskate on Snapchat, Twitter and Periscope.

First renders of a bright residential tower for SJSU students

Last week Nathan Donato-Weinstein wrote an article about "The Graduate @ SoFA," a new 19-story tower that is being proposed where The Tech Shop and McDonalds used to be in Downtown San Jose (area bound by San Carlos, Third Street, and Second street). The new renderings look quite impressive for the area--I love the bright yellow accents that remind me of a highlighter. We may have some very spoiled SJSU students in a few years.

The L-shaped building has 260 units, with most having four bedrooms. Over 1,000 students could be housed in the tower. There is an amenity deck with a swimming pool on the fourth flour and 10,000 SQFT of retail on the ground floor. There are intentionally very few balconies as a "safety feature" (university students can party pretty hard).

A side benefit to SoFA is that it moves students closer to the Downtown core and places them a block away from South First Street. This will help increase activity and vibrancy in the area.

Rents will go for around $1,000/mo for a room, a bargain in Silicon Valley. While the project is targeted to SJSU students, I don't think there is anything legally preventing non-students from moving in. There is still no ETA on when the building could break ground--the developers are still working on design and entitlements.

Source: SVBJ

The Fourth Annual Cafe Stritch RAHSAANATHON: A celebration of the life and music of Rahsaan Roland Kirk

If you enjoy Jazz music, Cafe Stritch has a multitude of events coming up next week as part of their fourth annual RAHSAANATHON. The events honor the life and music of Rahsaan Roland Kirk. For all of the details, please check out the press release below.

San Jose, CA – San Jose’s Cafe Stritch is proud to present its Fourth Annual RAHSAANATHON: A Celebration of the Life and Music of Rahsaan Roland Kirk from Wednesday August 3 through Sunday August 7, 2016

Dorthaan Kirk will be present for all festivities. The RAHSAANATHON’S main event is unique in the entire world. Rahsaan fanatics from around the country will converge on Cafe Stritch for their annual pilgrimage.

For three nights trombonist Steve Turre & The Eulipion All Stars featuring reedman extraordinaire James Carter (tenor sax / clarinet / flute) will create magic at Cafe Stritch. This ensemble will be reprising their three-night stands in 2013, 2014, and 2015. The group will be performing Turre’s arrangements of Kirk’s music Thursday August 4, Friday August 5, and Saturday August 6.  Poet Betty Neals, who co-wrote “Theme for the Eulipions” (the house anthem of Cafe Stritch) with Kirk, will perform the song live. The band includes Charles McNeal (alto sax / soprano sax), Matt Clark (piano), Marcus Shelby (bass), Darrell Green (drums), and Terrie Odabi (vocals). The concerts are from 8:30PM to midnight.

Tickets: $50 available at http://www.brownpapertickets.com

The week’s festivities begin on Wednesday August 3. Cafe Stritch, in partnership with San Jose Jazz (SJZ), will screen Adam Kahan’s feature documentary film The Case of the Three Sided Dream at Camera 3 Theater (located one block from Cafe Stritch at 288 South Second Street, San Jose, CA 95113) at 7:00PM. The Case of the Three Sided Dream is the award-winning documentary about multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk (1935-1977), who went from blind infant to child prodigy, to adult visionary, to political activist, and finally to paralyzed showman. A seemingly superhuman musical force who played literally until the day he died.  Kirk was a musical force beyond category.  He never let anything stop him from pursuing what he called "The Religion of Dreams”.

Following the film, there will be a question and answer session at Camera 3 with Adam Kahan, the movie’s director. This will be followed by a reception and panel discussion at Cafe Stritch at 9:00PM. Adam Kahan will be the moderator of a panel discussion including Dorthaan Kirk, Betty Neals, Steve Turre, and Sonelius Smith. As part of Cafe Stritch’s weekly all vinyl DJ Night (Wax Wednesday), Cafe Stritch’s Artistic Director Maxwell Borkenhagen will be playing a Rahsaan-themed set including Rahsaan classics and selections by related artists (no cover).

Tickets: $10 for movie tickets only / $20 for movie ticket and reception at Cafe Stritch including hors d’ oeuvres and one alcoholic beverage. Tickets are available at http://boxoffice.printtixusa.com/camera/advance?i=18314

On Sunday August 7 Cafe Stritch will host a birthday celebration for Rahsaan. August 7, 2016 would be Rahsaan’s 81st Birthday.  The evening will include New York based Rahsaan biographer and multi-instrumentalist John Kruth performing Rahsaan-related readings and songs. The evening’s main event is The Sonelius Smith Quartet featuring Claire Daly. The group includes Sonelius Smith (piano), Claire Daly (baritone sax / flute), Howard Wiley (drums), and John Shifflett (bass).  Smith played with Rahsaan on multiple recordings including Rahsaan Rahsaan (1970), Natural Black Inventions (1971), and Blacknuss (1972).  This is a musical homage to Rahsaan Roland Kirk in voice and music featuring tunes by RRK, his friends, and other kindred spirits. The concert will be celebrating Rahsaan, one of the most original jazz artists ever to live. The concert is from 7:00PM to 11:00PM.

Tickets: $15 available at http://www.brownpapertickets.com

Cafe Stritch will be presenting the photographs of house photographer Ron Orlando from August 3 through August 31.  Mr. Orlando is a photographer who is passionate about photography and jazz.  He has been taking photos of jazz musicians since the 1980s. This exhibit is entitled Jazz Exploration. It is composed of photographs of jazz musicians taken at Cafe Stritch since 2014.

Press from past RAHSAANATHONS:
http://jazztimes.com/articles/166119-review-the-26th-annual-san-jose-jazz-summer-fest
http://www.mercurynews.com/music/ci_26260902/cafe-stritch-catches-jazz-lightning-bottle
http://www.metroactive.com/features/columns/Rahsaanathon-Cafe-Stritch-Rahsaan-Roland-Kirk.html

Other Information:
http://www.cafestritch.com/
https://www.facebook.com/cafestritch
Tickets for all concerts are available at www.brownpapertickets.com

Cafe Stritch is located at 374 South First Street, San Jose, CA 95113  (408) 280-6161

SJC upgrading its "International Terminal"

Yes, I realize this is a second post about SJC this week. The airport is on a roll with adding new flights, especially international flights that bring millions of tax dollars, convenience, and recognition to our city. San Jose went from having two international routes a few years ago to eight (Guadalajara, Cabo San Lucas, Tokyo, Beijing, London, Frankfurt, Vancouver, and Shanghai). The airport is doing so well, it's time to expand the international facilities.

Despite flying out of SJC 100 times, I didn't get to got to fly internationally out of San Jose until a few weeks ago. My wife an I took a vacation to Barcelona and got to utilize the direct flight on British Airways from San Jose to London. It was an exceptional experience, far better than flying internationally through SFO or Oakland. On the way back, I finally got to go through San Jose's customs facility. I have gone through customs/immigration dozens of times, and have never had a better experience than San Jose. Even though we were sitting in economy, we were able to go from the plane, through customs/passport control, get suitcases, and be outside waiting for our ride within 15 minutes (!). If you fly a lot, you know this is pretty much impossible... not in San Jose.

The "International Terminal" is somewhere between Terminal A and Terminal B. On a return flight after going through customs, it spits you out in a place I never even knew existed in the airport that feels like it's from the 80s. This is the area currently being upgraded. The 5,600 SQFT project includes a second baggage carousel, an indoor waiting area for family and friends to welcome your arrival, a snack area, comfortable seating, and new restrooms.

The project will cost a total of $8.2 million (coming from unspent bond proceeds) and should be completed Spring 2017.

Source: ETN Global Travel Industry News

Downtown San Jose's One South tower finally gets a tenant

After a whole year, one of the most central and well-trafficked corners in Downtown San Jose has been leased. One South is a high-end apartment tower bound by Santa Clara Street, Market Street, and San Pedro Street. Sadly, its three retail units have sat empty despite residents fillings up the 312 units upstairs. Now, a gourmet coffee shot with some food options is going to nab that prime 1,730 SQFT corner space at the intersection of Santa Clara Street and Market Street.

The tenant is Proper Cup, and they'll fit right in with the other high-end, non-chain coffee shop proliferating Downtown. Their focus will be on artisanal coffees and teas with great customer service. Proper Cup will also be offering sandwiches and soups.

If you happen to be one of the lucky residents of One South, you're about to get one more reason to love where you live. Proper Cup is going to offer room service to residents so they can order coffee and have it delivered without having to go all the way down the elevator.

Construction of the coffee shop will begin at the end of September with a goal to be open in November. One down, two more to go. The remaining retail units are 3,201 SQFT (corner space) and 1,603 SQFT.

Source: SVBJ

San Jose street art map

Brian Eder created a handy map showing you were to find murals and significant street art installations throughout San Jose. Now that everyone is walking around collecting imaginary pets, you might as well incorporate some of these murals into your walks. Many of these works are very impressive and and several were painted just in the last two years.

Source: “Find Beauty in the Streets of San Jose this Summer” by Cherri Lakey KQED Arts

Mural by Ian S. Young (Photo by Cherri Lakey)

Mural by Jeffrey Hemming (Photo by Brian Eder)

Mural by Galen Oback (Photo by Cherri Lakey)

Mural by Jamie Friedman & Notre Dame H.S. (Photo by Brian Eder)

Mural by LAuruS Myth (Photo by Cherri Lakey)

Street print design by Scape Martinez (Photo by Cherri Lakey)

Mural by Nosego (Photo by Cherri Lakey)

SJC gets nonstop service to New York metro

Finally, after all the amazing international additions at San Jose International Airport we are landing some new domestic routes. The most requested domestic route at SJC is between San Jose and New York. Currently we only have a red-eye flight (an overnight flight) to New York on JetBlue, and it's not even a daily flight. Now Alaska Airlines is stepping up to the plate and launching San Jose's first nonstop service to the New York area in quite some time.

The new flight will begin March 12, 2017 and uses a Boeing 737. It will depart seven days a week at 6:30am and arrive at Newark at 2:55pm. The return flight will depart Newark at 4:05pm, arriving back in San Jose at 7:40pm. Tickets will be available for purchase starting July 25th. The flight will be very convenient for both business and leisure travelers. I'll take an early flight over a red-eye any day of the week.

Alaska is also adding service from SJC to Burbank starting on March 17, 2017. Thank you Alaska Airlines for investing in San Jose!

UPDATE: Removed "first ever" based on comments below that American and Continental previously had nonstop service to New York.

Source: SVBJ

Playful People Productions Presents: Disney Jungle Book KIDS

Our tale begins deep in the heart of the Jungle. A baby boy, lost and abandoned, is raised by wolves. He is called “Mowgli”. On the run from Shere Khan, a ferocious tiger who has banished him from the jungle, a human boy named Mowgli is aided by an agile panther named Bagheera. Along the way, the two meet a sinister snake named Kaa, a herd of elephants, and a giant bear named Baloo, who teaches them the swingin’ musical rhythms of the jungle. After surviving a dangerous encounter with a band of monkeys led by King Louie, Mowgli and Bagheera are forced to run for their lives. Shere Khan returns, leading our protagonists to rally their follow jungle creatures into battle and restore peace to the jungle.

Our shows often sell out prior to the show weekend. Be sure to buy your tickets early, you won’t want to miss out on this fantastic production.

All Shows at the Historic Hoover Theater, 1635 Park Ave  San Jose, CA 95126

Show Times:
Friday, August 5th - 7:00pm
Saturday, August 6th - 11:00am, 3:00pm and 7:00pm

Tickets available at www.playfulpeople.net
$12 attendees 12 and up, $8 children 11 and under, and $6 Children’s floor seating

Tickets at the door (30 minutes prior to curtain)
$15 attendees 12 and up, $10 children 11 and under, and $6 Children’s floor seating

Founded in 2010, Playful People Production’s mission is to provide a quality, caring environment where children, teens and their families can have positive theater experiences. We strive to involve all family members in the many aspects of on stage and backstage theater in a safe and fun environment and offer participation in theatrical productions, classes, summer stock and camps for ages 3-103

Saturday Stats: San Jose is the 2nd healthiest region in the US

Great news, we just ranked as the second most "healthy" metro in the country. The study looked at two dozen measures of health factors and health outcomes (such as average lifespan).

San Jose has a very low premature death rate at 0.2%, an adult obesity rate of only 19.6%, and only 7.1% adults do not have health insurance. Only 9.1% of San Joseans smoke, the fourth smallest share of any US city. The best part is we ranked highest on the metric that is most important, life expectancy. Our average lifespan is comes in at an impressive 82.7 years.

Source: 24/7 Wall St., Thanks to Barclay Livker for sending this in!

Silicon Valley Beer Week kicks off tomorrow

If you love beer, you are likely going to enjoy the next 9 days. Dozens of beer-centric events will take place throughout Silicon Valley from July 22nd to the end of the months. These range from tastings, beer food-pairings, brewery tours, beer walks, and sessions with brewers. Given how quickly our beer scene is growing, I wouldn't be surprised if this ranks as the most impressive beer week to date for our region. For the complete list of events, head over to the Silicon Valley Beer Week events page!

Silicon Valley Comic Con is returning in 2017 bigger and better

Steve Wozniak's comic con has announced dates for its sophomore debut next year. The expanded event will run from April 21-23 at the San Jose Convention Center as well as neighboring Downtown San Jose venues (South Hall, The City National Civic, and the California Theatre).

Silicon Valley Comic Con 2017 features sessions with celebrities, tech innovators, scientists, comics, artists, video games, virtual reality, and consumer electronics. The inaugural 2016 event drew 60,000 attendees, making it the largest fan expo in Northern California and it generated $12.5 million in revenue for San Jose and local businesses. Next year's event will very likely exceed those metrics.

For more info check out the press release below or the Silicon Valley Comic Con website over here. VIP Platinum and Gold ticket packages are already available.

SILICON VALLEY COMIC CON REVEALS DATES FOR 2017 AND EXPANSION INTO ADDITIONAL DOWNTOWN SAN JOSE VENUES
VIP Tickets on Sale Now for Steve Wozniak’s Pop Culture and Technology Expo

San Jose, Calif. - July 13, 2016 - Silicon Valley Comic Con (SVCC), Steve Wozniak’s popular expo celebrating the Age of the Geek will return to downtown San Jose the weekend of April 21-23, 2017. Over the course of the three-day show, the 2016 event welcomed 60,000 attendees who enjoyed a sold-out show floor of 350+ exhibitors and dozens of packed panels and fan Q&As. The largest fan expo in Northern California, Silicon Valley Comic Con generated $12.5 million of revenue for the city and surrounding businesses, making it one of San Jose’s largest revenue generating events. Pairing science with fiction, Silicon Valley Comic Con aims to inspire and entertain with celebrity appearances, science/tech discussions, film / TV screenings, panels with award-winning authors and artists, displays with comicbook artists, cosplay contests and more.

“Where else can you participate in Q&As with a renowned quantum physicist and the cast of ‘Back to the Future’ in one day? What an amazing time to be a geek!” said Steve Wozniak. “The first SVCC went well beyond everyone’s expectations, and we walked away from the event absolutely brimming with ideas for 2017. As technology and pop culture continue to drive each other, SVCC will showcase the best of Silicon Valley.”

After its successful inaugural year, SVCC has already outgrown the San Jose McEnery Convention Center. Three new surrounding locations will host SVCC events and exhibits: South Hall, The City National Civic, and The California Theatre, with more venue expansion plans in the works. In addition, Silicon Valley Comic Con is working closely with Team San Jose and the City of San Jose to increase public parking and public transportation options.

“Nearly 90% of SVCC’s 2016 attendees said they would recommend the show to their friends, and the most common feedback was that they wanted even more great content across exhibits, panels and opportunities to meet or hear from their favorite celebrity and tech icons,” said Trip Hunter, CEO of Silicon Valley Comic Con. “Expanding into a variety of new venues will allow us to bring even more compelling content our fans and partners are seeking.”

VIP Platinum and Gold ticket packages can be purchased today at www.svcomiccon.com. VIP ticket package perks include early entrance to the show, priority panel entry, access to a private VIP lounge, private autograph signings and more.

To inquire about custom sponsorship and exhibitor packages or media partnerships, contact marketing@svcomiccon.com. The exhibitor application is also available online now. For more information about SVCC, visit www.svcomiccon.com.

ABOUT SILICON VALLEY COMIC CON
With Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak at the helm, Silicon Valley Comic Con celebrates the Age of the Geek by bringing together America’s two greatest superheroes: pop culture and technology. Featuring top celebrities, tech innovators, comics, scientists, independent artists, cosplay, video games, virtual reality, consumer electronics, music, apps and more, Silicon Valley Comic Con is where the entertainment and technology worlds intersect. Silicon Valley Comic Con 2017 will take place April 21-23, 2017 at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center and surrounding downtown San Jose locations.

San Jose Bus Rapid Transit overview video

VTA's first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line is getting closer to reality. Despite several delays, the line connecting East San Jose and Downtown should be fully operational in 2017. The blue hybrid "accordian" buses are already being used on the route. These are the nicest buses in the VTA fleet with comfortable seating, free WiFi, and bike racks both inside and outside the bus.

When the BRT line is complete, each stop on the route will get stations similar to Light Rail. These will have real time information for arrival times, local artwork, bright lighting, and 24/7 security cameras.

The other major improvement that BRT will bring besides the stations is faster travel times. This will be accomplished using dedicated bus lands in the median of Alum Rock Avenue as well as transit signal priority (green lights will stay on longer if a bus is present). You also won't have to worry much about catching a specific bus since they are only 10 minutes apart during peak hours.

Have a look at the 3 minute video below for a quick overview of the new system.

New boutique hotel proposed on North Fourth Street

An aging 10-room motel at 1036 N. Fourth Street (first photo below) may be transformed in slick boutique hotel. The proposed project would have 60 rooms across four floors, underground parking, and an impressive rooftop terrace with a living wall of plants, a bar, and BBQ area. Speaking of BBQ, one of my favorite restaurants and one of San Jose's few Michelin-ranked restaurants is located down the block: Smoking Pig BBQ.

The proposed hotel is near the bulk of San Jose's tech jobs, making it a near guaranteed success during the workweek. The big question would be how well it could do on the weekends in this location. I hope they can make it work since it would be a big improvement over what is standing there now.

Source: SVBJ

Playful People Productions Presents: Dear Edwina Jr.

This lively family friendly musical, chronicles the adventures of plucky Edwina Spoonapple, advice-giver extraordinaire, who wows her neighbors in Paw Paw, Michigan, via original musical extravaganzas performed in the Spoonapple Family garage  Edwina directs the neighborhood kids in her latest edition of her weekly "Advice-a-Palooza.” where Edwina and her friends will share wisdom on everything from trying new foods to making new friends through clever, catchy songs.  Dear Edwina JR is a show that unfolds into a virtual block party and will delight children, teens and adults alike.

Our shows often sell out prior to the show weekend. Be sure to buy your tickets early, you won’t want to miss out on this fantastic production.

All Shows at the Historic Hoover Theatre, 1635 Park Ave  San Jose, CA 95126

Show Times:
Friday, July 22nd - 7:00pm
Saturday, July 23rd - 11:00am, 3:00pm and 7:00pm


Tickets available at www.playfulpeople.net
$12 attendees 12 and up, $8 children 11 and under,  and $6 Children’s floor seating

Tickets at the door (30 minutes prior to curtain)
$15 attendees 12 and up, $10 children 11 and under, and $6 Children’s floor seating

For questions: barb@galiotto.com

Founded in 2010, Playful People Production’s mission is to provide a quality, caring environment where children, teens and their families can have positive theater experiences. We strive to involve all family members in the many aspects of on stage and backstage theater in a safe and fun environment and offer participation in theatrical productions, classes, summer stock and camps for ages 3-103

Searchlight San Jose: A bet, a beating, and a basket

Losing is never easy, especially when the prize is the Stanley Cup you and have to send the mayor of the winning city a basket of gifts. Long story short, Mayor Sam Liccardo had a friendly bet with Pittsburg Mayor, Bill Peduto. The mayor of the losing team would have to send over a basket of treats representing his city.

So what was in San Jose's basket? Schurra's Fine Confections, La Vic's Orange Sause, Greenlee's Bakery Best Cinnamon Bread, Gordon Biersch beer, Fruit cocktail (invented in San Jose), J. Lohr wine, and Chiaramonte's Sausage. These are all items made locally here in San Jose with the exception of the fruit cocktail. To see a full breakdown of each item, head over to Searchlight San Jose.

What do you think? Is there anything missing from the basket that would better represent San Jose?