Last-Minute Holiday Gift Guide

Still need to purchase that last-minute holiday gift? Check out a variety of local options below. From the foodie, culture vulture, techie, family fun, the items below is sure to fit any budget for loved ones!

Hotel Valencia’s New Year’s Eve Guestroom Package – Cost: $395 per room

Ring in the New Year at Hotel Valencia. Hotel Valencia’s New Year's Eve celebration on Santana Row is always the toast of the town! Bid farewell to 2017 and welcome 2018 by taking advantage of our fabulous New Year's Eve Hotel Package. More deets on Hotel Valencia’s NYE package can be found here.

NETGEAR’s Arlo Pro – Cost: $419.99

With NETGEAR’s Arlo Pro, homeowners can protect their home and families. Featuring 2 wire-free HD cameras provides homeowners with a clear view of the home’s exterior. Plus, it’s weatherproof! NETGEAR’s flagship pop-up store at Santana Row through end of the year. More deets on NETGEAR’s Arlo Pro can be found here

The Tech Museum of Innovation’s Body Worlds Decoded – Cost: $24, (adult), $19 (child 3-17), $19 (student w/ID) and $19 (senior 65+)

The Tech’s new Body Worlds Decoded puts a Silicon Valley twist on the world-renowned plastinated human bodies exhibit through Gunther von Hagens’ Institute for Plastination. More deets on The Tech’s Body Worlds Decoded can be found here.

Great America’s Gold Season Pass – Cost: Nine Payments of $9.98

Take advantage of Great America’s Gold Season Pass with unlimited visits in 2017 and 2018. The Gold Pass free admission to Gilroy Gardens, Halloween Haunt and WinterFest as well as free parking! More deets on Great America’s Gold Season Pass can be found here.

First Order Stormtrooper by UBTECH – Cost: $299.99

With the recent release of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the new First Order Stormtrooper by UBTECH looks to be one of the hottest products of the season. First Order Stormtrooper by UBTECH is an app-enabled interactive robot based on the character from the Star Wars movie franchise. More deets on First Order Stormtrooper by UBTECH can be found here.

Ridge Vineyards’ Year-Round Gift Pack – Cost: ATP Duo ($68), Estate Red Wine ($115), Olive Oil & Vinegar ($35)

Throughout the year, Ridge offers a year-round gift pack. More deets on Ridge’s Year-Round Gift Pack can be found here.

New Year's Eve in San Jose

If you are still figuring out what to do for New Year's Eve this Sunday, Rick Jensen from the SJDA has a lot of great suggestions in his last newsletter. His post is below and we also recommend subscribing to his newsletter over here.

Sunday – New Year’s Eve in Downtown – Happy 2018, San Jose! Celebrate the beginning of a new year with champagne, hors d’oeuvres and a ball drop at the Marriott’s New Year’s Eve Extravaganza III or at The GlassHouse’s NYE Party. Or join in on the music and dancing at the Fairmont’s 1920s themed NYE celebrations. Reminisce 2017 with an end-of-the-year comedy show by Will Durst and Co. at the Tabard Theatre. Take your pick of the downtown restaurants for fine dining this weekend.

3Below (formerly Camera 3) opens January 11th

Downtown San Jose's only remaining movie theater will be reopening in a couple weeks after a full remodel including a new cafe, lounge, restrooms, and comfortable seats. The cafe at "3Below" will be called Pix & Pints and they'll serve sandwiches, snacks, coffee, tea, beer, and wine.

In addition to the independent films and documentaries that Camera 3 was known for, 3Below will also host sing-a-longs, revival films, movie marathons, double features, game nights, karaoke, and open mic nights.

The theater will host several events in the future, including the Cinequest Film and VR Festival between Feb. 27 and March 11. ComedySportz will also continue to operate their improve comedy show from the 99-seat theater (the other two theaters are 250 seats and 89 seats).

3Below sounds like a solid improvement to one of Downtown's longest-running entertainment venues.

Source: SVBJ

2017: Downtown in Review

Below are the highlights from the annual San Jose Downtown Association's Year-in-Review meeting. It touches on all of the significant development projects that either broke ground or were proposed this year. The video also covers ongoing concerns such as High Speed Rail alignment, BART construction, and the homeless. A lot is going on Downtown, so check out all of the details here!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

We hope that you and your family enjoy the holidays this year.

For a fun little adventure, you can check out the most decked out holiday decorations in San Jose along with a map and addresses over here.

Shop San Jose

If you are still doing some last minute shopping and you are trying to decide which brand to go with, why not prioritize companies that are based in San Jose. A few years ago we started putting together a list of companies headquarterd in San Jose that provide consumer goods and services. If you have any to add, just post in the comments!

To access the spreadsheet, click here.

#SiliconValleyLife

As San Jose's prestige continues to rise, so does the quality of our promotional videos. Visit San Jose has produced what I think is the best promo video of our city to date. Click here for the full resolution version.

Huge thanks to Vianka Villanueva for sending this in!

SJC is getting a new nonstop flight to JFK!

Delta airlines is delivering on our #1 most requested domestic route. Starting Jun 8, 2018, you will be able to fly Delta nonstop from San Jose to JFK International in New York. The flight will leave San Jose at 10:35pm and arrive at JFK at 7:15am (yup, it's a redeye). The return flight will leave JFK at 8:15am and arrive back at SJC at 11:45am. The timing on that return flight is highly desirable, especially for business travelers.

JetBlue also operates a pair of nonstops between San Jose and JFK, but with less desirable times, no first class option, and fewer "in-network" connecting flights.

The flights will use Boeing 737-800 planes with 16 first class seats, 36 Comfort+ seats, and 108 economy seats. This is yet another big win for our airport and for travelers.

 Source: Hat-tip to Daniel Martinez, SVBJ