South First Friday Tonight!

December 3, 2010 — South FIRST FRIDAYS art walk

Posted on November 21st, 2010 admin No comments

JOIN US for the next South FIRST FRIDAYS art walk on DEC 3rd!
8pm ’til LATE — ART WALK venues are free and open to the public
SoFA District (So. First Street between San Carlos and E. Reed streets)

• Anno Domini // the second coming of Art & Design – 366 South First St. map

  
  Opening Reception: FRESH PRODUCE 10th Annual Invitational Group Exhibit & Sale
  Over 30 artists from around the world have created hundreds of works of art for this highly anticipated annual exhibition and sale. The artists were invited based on their unique artistic vision and contribution to urban contemporary arts and culture. Art can be taken home at the point of purchase.

• Art Glass Center of San Jose – 465 South First St. map

  
  The 4th Annual Glass Ornament Show opens at the Art Glass Center of San Jose. Enjoy a chocolate and port tasting while perusing hundreds of one of a kind glass ornaments.

• Higher Fire Clayspace & Gallery – 499 South Market St. map

  
  Ikebana Vessel by Doris Fischer-Colbri
  GEO GEOMETRY featuring artists: Doris Fischer-Colbrie, Linda Mau
  Linda Mau’s meticulous sculptures are born of two unique processes developed by the artist — Paperclay on Steel Wire and Geometric Sculptures for flower arranging. Her forms are quiet and elegant, yet powerful in presence. Doris Fischer-Colbrie infuses her theoretical math background into the more tangible media of clay — view one-of-a-kind ikebana vessels, fine functional porcelain, and cleverly coiffed containers.
  Works by Mau and Fischer-Colbrie are featured in a broader holiday show of numerous Silicon Valley clay artists at Higher Fire Clayspace & Gallery this December: Deborah Anderson, Barbara Brown, Anita Clemetson, Cindy Couling, Dan Dermer, Jon Dunlavy, Doris Fischer-Colbrie, Jill Getzan, Phyllis Lee, Janet Malan, Linda Mau, Lee Middleman, Joy Munshower, and Jon Price.

• KALEID gallery – 88 South Fourth St. map

  7-9pm Opening Reception: The Rockin’ Stockings Holiday Show & Sale
  
  
  The Rockin’ Stockings Holiday Show & Sale
  40 KALEID Gallery artists present unique works of art in a wide variety of mediums including paintings, ceramics, assemblage, glass & jewelry, all generously priced for the gift giving season. All art works will be sold on a first come, first served basis and you can take it home with you at the point of purchase!

• MACLA Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana – 510 South First St. map

  
  Amy Diaz-Infante, Installation View of Wallpaper, mixed media, 2010, Photo by Robertino Raggaza
  Hybrid Spaces: Family Origins & Collaborations Recent work by Las Hermanas Iglesias (Lisa Iglesias & Janelle Iglesias) and Amy Diaz-Infante.
  Join Amy Diaz-Infante for a gallery walk through and an engaging conversation about her work at 7:00pm.
  MACLA Spoken Word All-Stars hosted by Elijah Lozano – featuring a drumming mash-up from JALIYA & Jimmy Biala

• Phantom Galleries – art exhibits in vacant storefronts and alternative spaces

  
  386 South First St: Shoebox Productions featuring Sean Sczepanik, Steven Sczepanik
  Caretaker in Need of Repair installation by Sean Sczepanik
  Animals have now been dissected and modified to benefit humanity. However, human beings have been complacent in the maintenance of these creatures. Therefore they have been malfunctioning and destroying the environment.
  Voice from the Tomb installation by Steven Sczepanik
  This installation is the beginning of a tribute towards Charles Perry Grooms. This man was an endearing poet of great imagination. His words explored places where the white cherry blossoms drifted and the gypsies roamed. His life history is unknown and untraceable, but his words will be carried on forever.

• San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles – 520 South First St. map

  
  Yvonne Porcella, Come Again Kabuki
  Two exciting exhibitions! Cream of the Cloth: Quilts from the Marbaum Collection of Hilary & Marvin Fletcher. Cream of the Cloth is the personal collection of long-time contemporary art quilt advocates Hilary & Marvin Fletcher. A rare survey of 25 years of the contemporary art quilt movement.
  Bold Strokes is a 25-year retrospective of Yvonne Porcella’s art quilts, known for their bold originality as articulated through her collage aesthetic and strip quilting. Porcella, founder of Studio Art Quilt Associates, has been a driving force in the studio quilt movement not only as a prolific artist, but also as a teacher and author.

• SLG Art Boutiki & Gallery – 577 South Market St. map

  
  
  The SLG Art Boutiki and Gallery turns two and does it in its own unique way as we mark the holiday season with an SLG FESTIVUS celebration. Perform FEATS OF STRENGTH in the front galley and wow your friends. Make a donation to the Human Fund. Get your picture taken next to our very own Festivus ALUMINUM POLE. But the highlight of the night will be our turning over the microphone between band sets to anyone who wishes so that you can air your grievances to the whole world. Yes, the WHOLE WORLD as we will be broadcasting said airing of grievances via Ustream to the internet on the Artboutiki, SLGCOMIC and SANTAGOROUND websites. So, let all of your friends know that you will be telling the entire world how much they disappointed you.
  Holiday themed art by Andy Ristaino and an assortment of cool art from the past years shows will all be on display as SLG closes out the year in its own peculiar fashion. Live music too!

• Works San Jose – 451 South First St. map

  
  
  Opening Reception: Ring in the New
  Ring in the New is Works’ 2010 member exhibition, the most eclectic, startlingly open, unjuried annual regional exhibition of art. Work from the stars of the South Bay scene are brought together with first time exhibitors. Come celebrate and support your community art and performance center with the artists who do the same.

• Caffé Trieste – 315 South First St. map

  
  
  Artist’s Reception: Robot Girl! by Christine Benjamin, a local artist who creates her own cast of characters: monsters, robots, aliens, skeletons & more, culled from her childhood memories and emotions.
  First Fridays are Opera Night! at Caffé Trieste with some of the Bay Area’s best opera singers performing your favorite arias and duets.

• Downtown Yoga Shala – 450 South First St. map

  
  Join us after Candlelight Yoga (6-7:30pm) to welcome the downtown community and art walk patrons. Our featured artist for December and January is Clay-Mixed Media artist Paul Rubio, with his captivating exhibit, “Suspension of Disbelief”. Paul’s most recent body of work explores and represents the relationship humans have with nature. He uses the vessel to represent man’s first phase of evolution, and how primitive man with mud and fire could create crude but highly decorated and expressive pieces as time passes. Much of this burnt earth would be markers of civilizations of the past.

• Good Karma Vegan Café – 37 South First St. map

  Opening Reception: SJSU Color 112: Exploring the Hyperreal
  Working from individual interpretations of the notion of the hyppereal, students in Barbara Boissevain’s color photography class at San Jose State University created these 22 images. Students were asked to construct a reality for the viewer to experience that breaks the boundaries of our physical reality. In these simulations that never really existed, the students played with artificial elements such as artificial color, scale and anti-gravity.
  The assignment was wide open to the student’s interpretation and many students chose to use a cinematic film as a jumping-off point for the images they constructed.

• METRO Photo Exhibit – 550 South First St. map

  
  
  Come join us in the Metro building for EDGE OF NOWHERE a First St. Photo Collective event.

• Psycho Donuts – 288 South Second St. map

  
  art by Lacey Bryant
  Creatures, Donuts and Such! Exhibit of local artists representing their take on different original characters that they have developed and where they fit into the local scene in Downtown San Jose.

• South First Billiards & Lounge – 420 South First St. map

  
  Bring It Back Tour: the sampler platter!
  Live art, live body painting hosted by one soul and flossofee. Opio, Kung Fu, Zman, My G, Bru Lei, Aivar, Matre, Project Seer, Sub Ren.
  Esik Video Premiere.
  5-9pm ALL AGES. 9pm-close 21+ venue.

• Art Ark – 1035 South Sixth St. map

  
  art by Gwen Mercado Reyes
  6–9pm Closing Reception:The More the Merrier: a group exhibition and art sale
  This show is comprised of 39 artists exhibiting a wide range of work in a variety of mediums. The purpose of this show is to mix and mingle local talent while showcasing works priced to sell for holiday gifts. All sales should be negotiated directly with the exhibiting artists.

KALEID Art Sale!

KALEID's Rockin' Stockings Show & Sale Dec. 3rd!

from Phantom Galleries by Cherri Lakey

KALEID Gallery artists have created unique works of art generously priced for this gift giving season! This will be a one-stop shopping trip for everyone on your list that shows you care enough to get them something you can't find anywhere else!

A Rockin' Stockings Holiday Show & Sale
First Friday December 3rd, 7pm-9pm 
free & open to the public

All art can be taken home at the point of sale.

Sale continues through December 30th.
KALEID Gallery
88 South Fourth St. (at San Fernando)
Downtown San Jose
www.KALEIDGallery.com

Glass Artist Alliance Expands in SoFA!

The San Jose Glass Artist Alliance is a nonprofit focused on the art of glassblowing. In addition to teaching how to make glass sculptures, the have a wide variety of art available for sale. I remember earlier this year they expanded their storefront in SoFA into their neighboring space, adding a new instructional area, couches, and a glass gallery. Well, it turns out they are expanding AGAIN.

By adding a secondary storefront in SoFA, right next to the High Fire Studios on Market--a very cool pottery workshop and gallery--they are more than doubling their presence to a total of 5,500 sqft of space. The new space will have another gallery, space for artists to sublet, and will also hold monthly shows for First Fridays!

It is amazing how SoFA continues to cultivate talented artists and expand. I hope this trend continues for a long time. I'm not sure if the new space will be ready for tomorrow's First Friday, but it should be up and running by January for sure. For more information, click here.

SJ FAM / Satori Charity Event this Sunday

MERRY MOROCCAN HOLIDAY

from SAN JOSE | FASHION | ART | MUSIC by Ria

Be merry this holiday season and join SJ FAM and Satori Tea Company for a delightful afternoon filled with fashion, art, music, charity and culture. Relax over a cup of tea and live music or peruse through a mini Moroccan bazaar where guests may participate in henna tattoo art, A Beauty Bar and some shopping!

This event will benefit CAREER CLOSET, an organization dedicated to empowering women to re-enter the… workplace equipped with everything they need to make a great first impression, land the job they want, and improve their lives. We encourage guests to dig into their closets and donate any unused work clothing, which can be used for another woman’s brighter future. Women’s professional clothing that is new or nearly new, clean, and on hangers, gently worn shoes and handbags are acceptable. Receive an additional raffle ticket for every garment you bring in!

So put on your Sunday’s best ensemble and join us for a lovely afternoon of good friends, good tea and a good cause!

$20 admission includes tea tasting, tea bites, henna art, beauty bar and live music by DJ Cutso.

Satori Tea Company
37 N San Pedro St, San Jose, CA 95110
Sunday, Dec 5th: 2pm-5pm
*Complimentary parking available in San Pedro garage until 6pm.*
Reservations required. Please call (408) 493-0554 or email rsvp@sjfam.com
Visit our Merry Moroccan Holiday Facebook event page here
______________________________________________________
Vendors:
A Beauty Bar
Ayoma LifeSpa
Henna World
Ruthie Gems

Golden Gate Bridge and AT&T Park Floats in the San Jose Holiday Parade

I Just saw this info below on the Daily Fetch:

"In a somewhat related note:  The (San Jose-hating) San Francisco Giants (or two of them at least) will be in the San Jose Holiday Parade this weekend.  Andres Torres and Sergio Romo (of bad-beard fame) will be the grand marshalls of the parade and sit on the NBC float.  That should make Lew Wolff plenty pissed… Not only that, the NBC float “will feature the Golden Gate Bridge, AT&T Park, sailing ships, and fog“… none of which have anything to do with the San Jose, which should make the City of San Jose pretty pissed off… Perhaps the new name of the parade should be, the San Francisco Holiday Parade at San Jose…"


This makes me furious. The Daily Fetch nails this one on the head... the NBC float HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH SAN JOSE. This isn't the first time that NBC has made a stupid, yes stupid, decision offending the South Bay. Most of you probably don't remember this from last year but I will never forget. Here is the text from a commercial NBC Bay Area ran to PROMOTE the innaugeral season of Broadway San Jose:

"Lawrence Scott, NBC Bay Area, here at the San Jose Center of the Performing Arts during Broadway San Jose's first ever Season. You know I've heard people in the city say that San Jose is limited in its culture and that it is basically like Fresno with money. Which I think is totally rude, I know plenty of people in Fresno with money. Fore more information... [blah blah]."


So what's the deal NBC Bay Area? Do you simply view us as culture-less money bags in San Francisco's armpit with no rights to having an autonomous city? I would really appreciate some clarification. Thanks.

Downtown San Jose Restaurant List!!!

For a long time I have been meaning to put together a list of ALL downtown San Jose restaurants (I've always been curious as to the exact count of how many we have). The SJ Downtown Association has a pretty comprehensive list, but it has limitations since there are no filtering or sorting capabilities besides genre. So I went ahead and put together my own online spreadsheet that anyone can use!

I used to tell people that Downtown San Jose has over 100 restaurant. That simply isn't true. We have 177 restaurants and cafes downtown (!!!). I thought I had been to almost every one. It turns out that I have "only" been to 125 of them... I have 52 more to go.

The spreadsheet lists each restaurant name along with:

• Genre - my categories are a little different than the SJDA list to avoid duplicates
• Region - tried to divide downtown into corridors and districts (like SoFA) since the street addresses aren't always indicative of where the restaurant is
• Address & Phone Number
• Website - work in progress
• Year - also work in progress, if you know which year any of the restaurants opened, please feel free to email me
• Additional Notes
• A Column to track the ones I've been to

All of the columns are sortable and filterable, and if you take a look at the bottom of the spreadsheet you'll notice there is also a tab called "Restaurant Statistics." This is a live count of the total number of restaurants downtown, as well as statistics by region, genre, and year opened. 

I think this spreadsheet turned out really well, so please have a look and let me know what you think. Thanks!

A Taste of Paris Now Open!

A retail space on Paseo de San Antonio next to Philz Coffee that has been vacant for years is now home to A Taste of Paris! The cafe is run by a sixth generation French Chef and features authentic French breads, sandwiches, soups, and pastries. For more info, you can have a look at their website over here.

Sony/Irvine Development Update

I've been getting into a development kick lately since we have several new projects about to break ground. Here is some information on the Irvine development project on First St., where Sony offices used to be. The first phase includes 364 condos and 4,660 sqft of retail. The goal is to be well into construction by Spring.




Thanks to xThomasTroublex from the San Jose Development Forum for the info.

Reminder: Celebrate San Jose's 233rd Birthday Downtown Today!

Location	Date and Time
Peralta Adobe & Fallon House Historic Site 175 W Saint John St San Jose, CA 95110 (Map) DISTRICT: SAN JOSE	Sun Nov 28 (1-4pm)

Description

Celebrate San Jose's 233rd birthday with tours of Peralta Adobe and Fallon House. Built in 1797, the Peralta Adobe has been a part of historic San Jose and is said to be the oldest building in San Jose. Music, cake and relatives of the founders of San Jose will all be at the event. Attendees will get an opportunity to see the new San Pedro Square Market. This event is free and open to the public.

Renders of The Ohlone Development

Barry Swenson is gearing up for developing the tallest development in Midtown San Jose (West San Carlos St. between Downtown San Jose and Santana Row). The plan is to have 800 transit-oriented units in towers up to 150ft tall along with 25,000sqft of ground floor retail. Eventually there will be a light rail station right outside The Ohlone. This would be a bold step towards transit oriented development outside of the Downtown area.

Have a look at some of the renders below as well as additional information:







Fact Sheet: The Ohlone
Who:
A joint project by Green Valley LLLC The Ohlone is new residential and commercial development currently going through the City of San Jose’s approval process. Green Valley LLC is a joint venture by Barry Swenson Builder and Republic Urban properties. 

What:
The Ohlone is a mixed-use, transit-oriented development (TOD). The project will have a maximum of 800 units with 25,000 square feet of neighborhood serving retail, which is a net increase in the retail space in midtown San Jose. The project is also being designed with significant amounts of open space achieved by having a mix of tall buildings and underground parking for residents and shoppers. In keeping with the principles of high-density development, the buildings will have a maximum height of 160 feet. 

Where:
The proposed Ohlone Mixed Use development site is located on 8.25 acres of land along West San Carlos and Sunol Street in San Jose. The property is classified as a Brownfield site and will undergo significant environmental remediation before construction begins. Previously a VTA bus lot and light rail staging area, this development will bring homes and retail to a previously blighted site. 

Why:
The Ohlone is a significant, multiyear community investment in San Jose that will be a model for future development. Designed to comply with the goals of the City of San Jose 2040 General Plan, this project is looking forward by embracing transit, bringing neighborhood serving retail to an underserved community and providing a livable, walkable community that is an alternative to single family homes. In addition, this project will exceed the City’s Build It Green standards by including several energy saving measures and environmentally friendly features such as solar power, the collection and reuse of water runoff, green roofs and diverting waste from landfills. Even the positioning of the building has been selected to best take advantage of the sun to keep heating and cooling costs low. 

360 Residences is Converting from Condos to Rentals

Interesting news today. It looks like the 360 Residences high-rise in SoFA is in the process of being converted to a rental building. I was wondering why people haven't started moving in yet!

I think this is actually a good idea, and the 200+ units could always be converted back to condos in the future. Instead of waiting a couple years for the building to fill up, the strong rental market in the South Bay will likely fill up the building really quickly. That means more foot-traffic to support downtown restaurants and retail, particularly in the SoFA district. You can already see the difference that The 88 and Axis have made downtown, so this building can't fill up soon enough!

SJSU Construction Map

Along the same lines as yesterday's post, I found a handy construction map for the entire SJSU campus right over here. It looks like there is another project slated to start mid next year for a new student health and counseling facility. The only image I could find related to this is below:

Black Friday in Downtown San Jose!

POP-UP SHOP OPENING BLACK FRIDAY You have heard right, we are opening a pop-up retail store in downtown San Jose at 151 W. Santa Clara Street, in the vacant restaurant formally occupied by Spiedo, next to San Pedro Square. We will be opening at 9:00am on Black Friday and going into the evening so come on down, hang out and check out our exclusive offerings only available at the shop. Not only new shirts, but also some team themed scarves and beanies for braving the winter months in style. Throughout the day we have some fun things planned and more to be added this week. The guys from San Franola Co. will be hosting a granola party, sampling a healthy way to snack. Later in the day, there will be an appearance by Streetbot, the urban art & apparel truck! Vintage Sports Video Games Mini Hoops. We will be debuting 8 shirts, including two woman's shirts for the first time ever. Accepting Visa and Master Card via Square. San Pedro Square Market Special Thanks to San Pedro Square Market, soon to be San Jose's newest shopping experience.

SJSU is Getting a New Student Union!

Wow, very nice looking building below. Thanks Vadin from the San Jose Development Forum for the info.

Design

The architectural firm Perkins+Will has been tapped to design the New Student Union, including the expansion and renovation portions of the construction. The new building will feature a more modern glass and steel design sensibility but still blend with the more classical aesthetics of the current Student Union. Established in 1935 in Chicago, Perkins+Will has completed projects in 49 of the United States and 43 countries around the world. The firm has received numerous awards, including the American Institute of Architects Firm of the Year in 1999. Below are sample renderings of what the future Student Union will look like.

West View

East View

Happy Thanksgiving San Jose!

Best wishes to all tonight! And if for whatever reason you are dining out tonight and still don't have a reservation, click here for a helpful list of options.

New San Jose Food Truck

As a follow up to the previous post, I am also informed that a new food truck will be launching at The Usuals' Black Friday event tomorrow from 12-3pm. It's called WOW Silog Truck and will serve Filipino-style silog dishes (combination of rice, eggs, and meats). Treatbot set the gold standard for food truck innovation with their Karaoke Ice Cream Truck, so WOW is also upping the ante with a full blown DJ booth inside the truck. For their premier, they're also going to have free beer and wine according to their Facebook page right over here. All the more reason to come to The Usuals for Black Friday!

Black Friday at The Usuals

We’re fighting big box Black Friday with our own Black Friday! This Friday…join us for our own “Anti Black Friday” Black Friday. Twelve hours of sales Sales SALES!!!!

From 8a-11a, take an additional 20% off of clothing, shoes, hats, and select accessories (jewelry excluded). Take an additional 15% off of all items on the markdown rack!

From 11a to close, take an additional 15% off of clothing, shoes, hats, and select accessories (jewelry excluded). Take an additional 10% off of all markdowns.

If you spend $60 or more, receive a complimentary set of Flip-up Glasses. All day!

Follow us on twitter: www.twitter.com/shoptheusuals to hear about secret DEEP DISCOUNTS throughout the day 

Get ready to throw them ‘bows!! Move out the way, yo!

Black Friday at Santana Row

Details about Black Friday at Santana Row!

As you all know, Thanksgiving is coming up this Thursday, and you know what that means: Black Friday is right around the corner! Don’t forget to come down to Santana Row for your all your Black Friday shopping needs (and wants)! We will be having great deals throughout the Row, plus amazing promotions in the Concierge. See below for some of the discounts being offered this Friday, 11/26: the best shopping day of the year!

Amber India – Special Black Friday Brunch starting at 10:30am - 2:30pm with regional specialties. Plus, receive 10% off gift cards (valid on $100 gift cards).

Atelier Aveda – Receive a free $10 gift card with every gift set purchase.

Beau Bijou – 25% off everything in the store. Plus, enjoy Brazilian coffee and cookies in the morning and cheese and wine in the evening.

Burke Williams Day Spa – Purchase a gift card for $105-$249 and receive an additional $25 gift card, or purchase a gift card for $250 or more and receive an additional $50 gift card.

Club One Fitness – Enroll on Black Friday & receive one complimentary personal training session and one 50 minute custom massage.

Donald J. Pliner – "Black Party": Cocktails, appetizers and an in-store Enter-to-Win drawing.

Eli Thomas For Men – Save 20-40% off storewide.

Fan Clothing – Receive 40% off of all outerwear.

Furla – Enjoy champagne and cookies, plus select styles from the winter collection will be on sale.

H&M – Opening at 7am with special discounts.

Hotel Valencia – Receive a special guestroom rate of $169.00 on Friday, November 26th 2010 only. Some restrictions apply. Promo ID: PROBFP.

InSpa – Free Skin Care sample – One per customer.

Left Bank Brasserie – $5 Mimosas and Bloody Marys from 11:30AM - 6:00PM.

Pink Stripes Boutique – Receive 20-40% off on select styles. Plus, spend $100 and receive a free designer scarf.

Rosie McCann’s Irish Pub – Happy Hour specials all day long. See restaurant for more details.

Roux Louisiana Kitchen – Enjoy 15% off your entire meal excluding alcohol with a receipt from any Santana Row shop.

Starbucks – Open at 3am for early bird shoppers.

Tales – Up to 50% off select items.

Ted Baker – Up to 30% off.

The Container Store – Enjoy free in-store Gift Wrap and Bow Demonstrations at 2pm and 4pm.  A $25 gift card will be given away at each demonstration.  Plus, spend $100 in a single transaction through November 28th and receive a $15 December Delight Card, redeemable 12/4 – 12/23/2010. Available while supplies last.  Terms and conditions apply.

Vera Bradley – Spend $100 or more and receive a free holiday tote. Plus, receive 25% off on select colors and styles.

Vintage Wine Bar – Enjoy Mimosas, mulled wine and free pastries.

Yankee Pier – Extended Happy Hour from 2pm – 6pm.

For even more saving this Black Friday, make sure to stop by the Concierge! If you purchase a Santana Row Gift card, you will receive a complimentary Santana Row water bottle (a $15 value)!

 Also, for every receipt you bring into the Concierge, you will receive a Holiday Scratch Off Card, containing discounts to Santana Row shops & restaurants, for each receipt!  Plus, every time you pick up a scratch off, you will be entered to win the grand prize: a $1,000 Santana Row shopping spree!  But wait, there’s more! If you donate a coat to One Warm Coat at their drop off location by Pinkberry, you can go to the Concierge to pick up your free Santana Row lawn chair (a $10 value)!

A Belated Congratulations to Josh Marcotte!

METRO Cover by Josh Marcotte

from Phantom Galleries by Cherri Lakey

Congrats to KALEID Gallery artist Josh Marcotte (aka Lost San Jose) for landing the cover shot for the current issue of METRO Weekly Newspaper! The feature article interviews Josh and his use of analog cameras along with several other San Jose photographers.

Marcotte is a photographer, writer and lifelong San Jose resident. He has been documenting his city for the past 10 years, first with a disposable camera, various 35 mm's, a 20D and most recently a 40D.

You can see more of Josh's work in his featured exhibit currently on view at KALEID Gallery through November 26th. (Exhibit details here.)

Tesla Factory Opens In Silicon Valley

I've been debating on whether to post about this for some time since the plant is located in Fremont, but I have to give Tesla some credit since they made an honest attempt to move to North San Jose first (they were blocked by government regulations on use of their loan funds). Very likely, you have already heard the news that Tesla has moved into the gargantuan NUMMI plant just a few miles away from SJ. The question I have, is how will this impact our city?

I have a few thoughts on this. San Jose has really made a name for itself for incubating and promoting green tech companies. In fact, we have the largest green tech cluster in the US and potentially the world. You can find everything from alternative energy companies to technologies making existing products more energy efficient... all right in our back yard. While green tech may not be as exciting as the .com extravaganza that made us famous in the late nineties, having Tesla nearby complements not only our existing green tech companies, but will help the region hit a critical mass for green tech much the same way we did for semiconductors and internet technologies.

Right before the turn of the millennium, I remember casually meeting the CEO of a tech company at SJC. It turns out he was planning to relocate his entire company to San Jose, and when I asked him why he told me "We want to be closer to ground zero. In our industry, this is where all the action is." We need to build that exact same kind of mentality for green tech. Green companies should be telling themselves that they have to be located in San Jose because that is where all the energy behind the green tech movement is emanating from. Having a company next door who is the leading pioneer of electronic vehicle technologies is going to help a lot in building that perception. So Tesla, welcome to the neighborhood! You can borrow the lawnmower anytime.



Tesla took possession of the Nummi automotive plant in Fremont, California earlier this month and opened the doors to employee tours on Wednesday. In the months since Tesla announced the purchase, negotiations with Nummi have enabled the repurposing of a complete paint shop, four mechanical press lines, a blanking line (used to cut sheets of aluminum before stamping), and a crane for use in the Model S production process. The purchased machinery will simply be retooled and tested before use. The Hydraulic Press Line has started to arrive; 50 trucks are en route to transport the entire line to Fremont. 

Tesla is focused on hiring the most talented people, retooling the facility, and creating the most energy-efficient and innovative automotive production process in the industry. 

For an explanation of the manufacturing process, please read Manufacturing VP Gilbert Passin's recent blog post. 

SJ Tries to Expedite $1B Worth of Development

A couple weeks ago the city council voted to to life the affordable housing requirements in redevelopment areas in order to get several major development projects moving along. A total of 4,227 units could be built very soon along the First St. Corridor alone. This will also undoubtedly help green light several downtown high-rises that have been percolating for a long time. For more information, have a look at this San Jose Business Journal article.

Celebrate San Jose's 233rd Birthday this Sunday!

This Sunday afternoon you'll have a great opportunity to tour of the Peralta Adobe and Fallon House (rarely open to the public) and get a sneak peak at the San Pedro Square Market. In honor of San Jose's 233rd Birthday, there will also be music, cake, and descendants of San Jose's forefathers on hand to chat with. All this in a location juxtaposing SJ's history with its future. Soon, the oldest building in San Jose will be surrounded by an eclectic hotspot featuring high-quality food, entertainment, and shopping. If you're wonder how exactly that will work, this event is a great one to come to. Hope to see you on Sunday!

Location	Date and Time
Peralta Adobe & Fallon House Historic Site 175 W Saint John St  San Jose, CA 95110 (Map)  DISTRICT: SAN JOSE	Sun Nov 28 (1-4pm)

Description

Celebrate San Jose's 233rd birthday with tours of Peralta Adobe and Fallon House. Built in 1797, the Peralta Adobe has been a part of historic San Jose and is said to be the oldest building in San Jose. Music, cake and relatives of the founders of San Jose will all be at the event. Attendees will get an opportunity to see the new San Pedro Square Market. This event is free and open to the public.

Santa Teresa Neighborhood Information

Santa Teresa is a region of San Jose I admittedly neglect to cover. Fortunately, there is a realtor named Sophia Delacotte that focuses on that region and has put up a website with local tips and info (news, events, school info, shopping, demographics, etc.). To have a look, just click here.