Merc Article on the 49ers

Last week there was a great article in the Merc about the 49ers moving down south, definitely worth a read!

My favorite lines from the article:

• Did you feel it? The gravitational center of Bay Area sports shifted southward Tuesday night. [referring to Measure J]
• Think about it. If Santa Clara County has the largest population in the nine-county Bay Area (fact) and has the most enthusiastic sports fans (opinion), then why shouldn't it also possess the home field of the Bay Area's most popular team?
• When the Super Bowl is played here in 2018 or 2019, do not forget this moment. It did not happen by accident. The whole project took a leap of faith by both the 49ers and a city that was willing to take a gamble that joining the limited ranks of NFL cities would be a net benefit, not the horrible tragedy that anti-stadium voices proclaimed.

Click here to read the full article!

Update on the Mmoon!

We have a quick update on the Mmoon, the empanada purveyor taking downtown by storm this summer. Their website is set to go live on July 1st and they are planning to have their soft opening on July 29th if all goes well! I also have an updated mission statement:

Mission

We believe that empanadas made at the Mmoon are out of this world.  Simple quality makes each empanada special. Our mission at the Mmoon is to offer quick service and quality food at an affordable price.

We are passionate about understanding where our food comes from, how it is produced and how far it is shipped before it lands at the Mmoon. Close partnerships with our suppliers ensure that our standards and values are aligned.

Our menu is simple and designed to keep the focus on providing quality, quick service gourmet food. We offer eight different types of freshly baked empanadas, an assortment of salads, homemade dressings and sauces, and a selection of beverages. 

The Mmoon provides a dining environment equal to the quality of its food. When customers walk through the door, they are greeted by staff who are proud to welcome them into a space that is sparkling clean, visually cool and eclectic; and filled with good music.

At the Mmoon, we value integrity, honesty and creativity. We respect our relationships with each other, our customers and the planet at large.

Welcome to the Mmoon.

Good News for the San Jose A's =)

Joann Freda from San Jose Day-by-Day is the first blogger to break the news... the city council approved the EIR tonight for a pro baseball stadium in downtown San Jose! Thanks to everyone that attended the meeting to show their support.

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tuesday, june 15, 2010

The A's May Have Just Moved One Step Closer to San Jose

People leaving the city council meeting tonight

Tonight I attended a city council meeting during which the council voted to certify the environmental impact report concerning a major league baseball stadium in downtown San Jose.  I have been an A's fan for about 28 years, ever since my oldest daughter started earning A's tickets by reading books for the A's reading incentive program.  Tonight the council heard many people speak on concerns about noise, parking, traffic and more.  But the council never lost sight of the immeasurable positive impact a major league baseball team can have on a city.  Go A's! 

Baseball San Jose: You're up to bat, San Jose!

Tomorrow we have a chance to help bring pro baseball to San Jose! The Baseball Stadium EIR is on the city council agenda, and the more people that can attend and show their support the better. Shills from the San Francisco Giants will no doubt be on hand to do whatever they can to block the move, so we need all the positive reinforcements we can get! More info below from Baseball San Jose:



Here is an invitation from Michael Mulcahy, Pro Baseball for San Jose Co-Chair, for everyone to attend tomorrow's very important San Jose City Council meeting concerning the ballpark's Environmental Impact Report:

Dear Baseball Supporters: 

Tuesday night, June 15 at 7pm, the San Jose City Council will consider the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Downtown San Jose Ballpark site. This will be another important opportunity for the public to weigh in with its support as we work to bring the A's to San Jose and make the Ballpark a reality while generating the jobs, economic development and tax revenue that our city needs so badly. And let us not overlook the value of community pride, international recognition and identity driven by major league sports. 

We realize this is a busy time of year but please plan to join me—and Susan Hammer—and many of our supporters in attending the meeting and expressing your support for the EIR and the Ballpark plan. As you may have read in the Mercury News, last month the SF Giants' attorneys, under cover as Stand for San Jose, attempted to derail the Planning Commission's approval of this very same EIR and we expect them to do the same next week. This SF Giant’s backed organization is working hard and relentlessly to deprive our City of charting its own course. It's time now for our group and our broader community to step up and make our voices heard in support of our own future. 

It’s time for the real San Jose to stand for San Jose! 

I look forward to seeing you Tuesday night. Please spread the word to your personal network of San Jose and ballpark supporters that this will be an important evening. We would appreciate knowing if you can attend, so please reply toprobaseballforsanjose@gmail.com. 

Sincerely,
Michael Mulcahy 
Co-Chair, Pro Baseball for San Jose

Again, the City Council meets:

Tuesday, June 15th @ 7 PM
San Jose City Council Chambers
200 East Santa Clara Street, San Jose

Saturday Stats - America's 17th Most Walkable City

One a scale of 1 to 100, San Jose snagged a walk score of 55... which isn't too shabby. 55 is enough to top Las Vegas, Atlanta, Detroit, Dallas, Phoenix, Austin, and San Antonio. This score will undoubtedly improve as we've ran out of land to build on (except for Coyote Valley) and density is increasing throughout the city, not just Downtown and Midtown. Almost all new housing developments are multi-family or townhomes. In addition, I think San Joseans are starting to come around on the concept of being less reliant on cars and looking for homes in walkable/bikable neighborhoods. Full list below of the top 40 walkable cities in the US:

America's Most Walkable Neighborhoods

Find the most walkable neighborhoods in the top 40 U.S. cities.

CityScoreMost Walkable Neighborhoods

1San Francisco86Chinatown, Financial District, Downtown

2New York83Tribeca, Little Italy, Soho

3Boston79Back Bay-Beacon Hill, South End, Fenway-Kenmore

4Chicago76Loop, Near North Side, Lincoln Park

5Philadelphia74City Center East, City Center West, Riverfront

6Seattle72Pioneer Square, Downtown, First Hill

7Washington D.C.70Dupont Circle, Logan Circle, Downtown

8Long Beach69Downtown, Belmont Shore, Belmont Heights

9Los Angeles67Mid City West, Downtown, Hollywood

10Portland66Pearl District, Old Town-Chinatown, Downtown

11Denver66Lodo, Golden Triangle, Capitol Hill

12Baltimore65Federal Hill, Fells Point, Inner Harbor

13Milwaukee62Lower East Side, Northpoint, Murray Hill

14Cleveland60Downtown, Ohio City-West Side, Detroit Shoreway

15Louisville58Central Business District, Limerick, Phoenix Hill

16San Diego56Core, Cortez Hill, Gaslamp Quarter

17San Jose55Buena Vista, Burbank, Rose Garden

18Las Vegas55Meadows Village, Downtown, Rancho Charleston

19Fresno54Central, Fresno-High, Hoover

20Sacramento54Richmond Grove, Downtown, Midtown

21Albuquerque53Downtown, Broadway Central, Raynolds

22Atlanta52Five Points, Poncey-Highland, Sweet Auburn

23Detroit52Downtown, New Center, Midtown

24Dallas51West End Historic District, Oak Lawn, m Streets

25Tucson51Iron Horse, El Presidio, Ocotillo Oracle

26Houston51Downtown, Montrose, River Oaks

27Columbus50Weinland Park, Victorican Village, Downtown

28Phoenix50Encanto, Central City, Camelback East

29Austin49Downtown, University Of Texas, West University

30Mesa48Southwest, West Central, Central

31El Paso45Golden Hills, Houston Park, Manhattan Heights

32San Antonio45Downtown, Five Points, Tobin Hill

33Fort Worth45Downtown, Arlington Heights, Tcu-West Cliff

34Kansas City44Old Westport, Country Club Plaza, Plaza Westport

35Memphis43Midtown, Downtown, East Memphis-Colonial-Yorkshire

36Oklahoma City43No Zillow neighborhood information available

37Indianapolis42No Zillow neighborhood information available

38Charlotte39Cherry, Fourth Ward, Downtown Charlotte

39Nashville39East End, Edgehill, Bellmont Hillsboro

40Jacksonville36Downtown Jacksonville, San Marco, Fairfax