Tons of Art Shows Coming Up!

Looks like you won't have to wait for South First Fridays to get your art fix this weekend!

Pellet at Empire 7 Studios

Empire Seven Studios is proud to present the debut solo exhibition by Kyle Pellet. Inspired by good memories, bad omens, fears, hard work, and guilty pleasures, Pellet draws and paints images reflecting the confounding joy and terror of everyday life. For this exhibition, he has created hundreds of drawings and paintings on paper of various dimensions.

If you're still shopping for others (or yourself) this holiday season, this exhibit is an ample opportunity to own original drawings and paintings at very affordable prices! For those who are art collectors, this is a great time to purchase Pellet's work; He has been exhibiting art frequently, and is moving up quickly in the art world.

Opening reception is on Friday, December 10th, 2010 from 8PM 'til late. The first 20 people who purchase a piece at the opening reception will receive a limited-edition signed poster from Pellet.

The exhibit will be on display through December by appointment. This will be E7S' last show for 2010 - Be sure not to miss it!

Empire Seven Studios
525 N. 7th Street, San Jose, CA

Posted by Cherri Lakey on December 8, 2010 11:45 PM | Permalink

Deadstök X at The Usuals

The Usuals and Streetbot present Deadstök X
Friday, December 10, 2010, 7p-10p

We are dusting-off our 2010 Deadstök designs! Expect to see new versions of tees by dNA, Everyday Debauchery, Lost San Jose, Kori Thompson, Lacey Bryant, Michael Foley, Anabella Pinon, Force 129, Wadl, Jane Doe, and more!

And say "Good-bye" to Streetbot! In it's last month with The Usuals, Streetbot is selling all remaining tees at $15. Make sure to grab your limited edition tees!

Cutso and SquareWeezy of The Bangerz will be here! Grab a silog from the WOW Truck, enjoy some beats, and spend some time with us!

THE USUALS
1020 The Alameda
San Jose, CA 95126

Posted by Cherri Lakey on December 8, 2010 11:40 PM | Permalink

Al Preciado Retrospective @55

Al Preciado invites you to his Birthday Retrospective featuring work from last night and 10 years ago at Gallery TEN10, 1010 East Taylor Street and 21st Street

Much food and great music by Josh and Mitch Waldman, and the Bob and Yumi show!!

Reception: Dec 17th, 6pm to Midnight
More information: apreciado@bcp.org

Print-In Art Show @ Japantown - Dec 12, 3-6pm

Print-In

Come and celebrate a visual, musical, and palatable event 

featuring prints from some of the San Jose’s best artists. 

   SparkPlugArt has invited a small group of artists to join them in an all day 

printmaking extravaganza. A remarkable gathering of six San Jose artists pooling 

their talents together, experimenting with several different processes and creating 

a exciting body of new prints that will be original and unique! At the end of the 

event all prints will be for sale!

   So come get prints fresh off the press, hear live music and enjoy some good food. 

You and your friends are invited to stop by ArtObjectGallery and party! 

Drop by the ArtObjectGallery in Japantown • San Jose • CA

Print Sale and Party • 3pm - 6pm • Sunday December 12th

* Hear live music by Jamie Dewrance and Russell Barbera *

Wednesday Wishlist: San Jose's Double-Decker Bus

I think I'm going to start a new regular post about wishlist items. These are ideas--some small and some large--that I think would make San Jose an even better and more interesting place to live. You guys already know one of my big wishlist items, Halloween in the Park. When you swing by Christmas in the Park this year, imagine that for an extra month each year, but with a Halloween twist. But that's not my idea for the day...

London has just unveiled the design for their latest generation of iconic double decker buses (just in time for the Olympics). When I use the word iconic in that sentence, I really mean it in its truest form. Think of a red double decker bus... what's the first thing that comes to mind? Try to stare and the photo below and NOT think of London. You can't, can you?

Pure and simple, San Jose needs a Double-Decker Bus. Something iconic that when people lay eyes upon it, they will immediately think of San Jose. Even cheap, dynamic LED lighting would go a long way (imagine if every bus and light-rail train was lit teal during sharks games). Or perhaps LCD screens on the sides of the bus displaying art that changes with every stop. There are lots of options that could go a long way in adding character and interest in even the most mundane things you can think of... like buses. Just ask our friends from across the pond below.

Veggielution Mushroom Growing Workshop on Dec 11

Veggielution--San Jose's own urban farm--is putting together a series of workshops. Some are going to be free and others are going to have a small fee for materials. This weekend they're hosting one that teaches you how to grow your own Oyster mushrooms at home, details below! I should also have the complete schedule of 2011 workshops soon.

Veggielution announces new workshop

Grow your own edible Oyster Mushrooms at home!

Saturday Dec 11, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.

at Veggielution Community Farm

647 South King Road
San Jose CA 95116

more info: www.veggielution.org/workshops

contact: workshops@veggielution.org

Veggielution Community Farm is offering an incredible, affordable workshop—an amazing deal at $30! Workshops like this, which are rare in the first place, often cost twice as much. Register now or learn more:www.veggielution.org/workshops.

Workshop Description

Oyster mushrooms are easy to grow at home!! We will teach you the basics of mushroom cultivation, tell you how to gather the necessary supplies like mushroom spawn, and send you home with your own bag of Oyster spawn in straw that will produce beautiful blooms of Oyster mushrooms in your kitchen.

These mushrooms have a mild flavor and are delicious in a stir-fry or soup. This workshop is a great value, and will set you on the path to harvesting mushrooms year-round in your own home!

Instructor Raymond Gallardo has specialized in home mushroom cultivation for more than 12 years. He learned tips and techniques from master growers to develop a tried and true method for growing in a home environment. He and his wife, Sarah, developed the first home cultivation workshop of its kind in the Bay Area, which they have now taught at several local farms (including last year at Veggielution) with wildly successful results.

About Veggielution

Veggielution empowers youth and adults from diverse backgrounds to create a sustainable food system in San Jose. Our one-acre urban farm engages the community by providing access to healthy and local food, creating youth leadership opportunities, and developing creative solutions to social and environmental justice issues.

We are a nonprofit community farm seeking to create a sustainable food system in San Jose. We currently farm about 1 acre at Emma Prusch Park in East San Jose, with the possibility of expanding to up to 10 acres at the park. Our volunteer workdays, youth programs, sliding scale farmstand, and community workshops give people a chance to get their hands dirty growing veggies, and learn the importance of eating healthy food and knowing where it came from.

Must Watch Video: Baseball San Jose Area Tour!

ET Water Moves Manufacturing From China to San Jose

Let's start off the work week with a fun fact. Novato-based ET water has decided to move the manufacturing of their smart irrigation control systems from China... to San Jose. Here is the exact quote from the SVSJ Business Journal article: "The company said the relocation will eliminate import tariffs and duties, improve production quality and yield, and accelerate new product development." It's not every day you hear about manufacturing jobs coming BACK to Silicon Valley.

Read more: ET Water manufacturing moves to San Jose from China | Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal

@First Reveals Planned Eateries!

The @First development at 237 and First St. in North San Jose is anchored by a high-end Target which (opened in October) and Brocade's new international headquarters. It is also getting 80,000 sqft of retail, mostly for restaurants! Unfortunately, many of the restaurants area already available in either the San Jose Market Center off Coleman, or nearby. Here is the list:

• Panda Express (also in SJ Market Center, tons in SJ)
• Sweet Tomatoes (also in SJ Market Center, but glad to have a second in SJ)
• Chipotle (already one on 1st St.)
• Panera (also in SJ Market Center)
• Premier Pizza (all 3 of their existing locations are within a couple miles)
• Five guys burgers and Fries (only one in the area and it's in South SJ, this is a welcome addition)
• Chick-fil-A (the only restaurant so far that is "New" to San Jose)

There is also a 160 room Hotel Sierra that will open next month, Union Bank will also likely sign a lease, and they are also looking for a grocery sub-anchor... potentially Fresh & Easy. In addition, they are looking for a dry cleaner, hair salon, and dentist. I hope they can make some space for a couple unique retailers that will add something new to the city.

Facebook Page for The San Jose Blog!

The San Jose Blog finally has a Facebook page, about time right? It's going to work much like our Twitter page where we'll have links to all posts as well as occasional news bits that don't make it to the blog. To check it out, just click here.