Dine Downtown San Jose Starts Today!

A 10 day "restaurant week" in Downtown San Jose kicks off today. This year there are 27 different restaurants including 8 brand new options. You can check out the full list below along with some menu examples. For a restaurant list with links to Opentable reservations, check out this handy SJDA webpage. 

Dine Downtown San Jose – June 20-29
27 downtown restaurants combine value, service and quality

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Foodies have a lot of new choices at the sixth annual Dine Downtown San Jose “restaurant week,” so good it extends to 10 days.

From June 20-29, new and regular customers alike can savor the tastes of 27 different restaurants offering prix-fixed, three-course meals including appetizer or salad, entrée and dessert, starting at $15 per person.

Restaurants new to the Dine Downtown program this year include: Blackbird Tavern, The Blue Mango, Bluefin Sushi, Da Kine Island Grill, The Farmers Union, First to Market, La Pinata and Nomikai Social Food + Drinkery.

First to Market’s (399 S. First St.) $35 per person Dine Downtown San Jose sampling includes grilled watermelon salad, pork belly mac and cheese or grilled ahi for appetizers, grilled elk chops, seared scallops or brown rice-stuffed bell pepper for main course and pie of the day.  Or after trying Nomikai’s arugula salad and corn pizza, save room for fresh strawberry with Nutella coconut cream parfait, all for $20 per person.

The offers also include a six-course meal at 71 Saint Peter for $45 a person and a five-course, $55 offer at Nemea Greek Taverna.

Some of downtown San Jose’s best restaurants will return to support the popular program: 71 Saint Peter Modern European Kitchen; Arcadia – A  Michael Mina Steakhouse; Bella Mia; Billy Berk’s Restaurant; Cafe Stritch; Fahrenheit Restaurant & Lounge; Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant; The Grill on the Alley; Il Fornaio San Jose; Loft Bar and Bistro; Los Gatos Brewing Company; Mezcal Restaurant; Morton’s The Steakhouse; Nemea Greek Taverna; Orchestria Palm Court Restaurant; Paolo’s Restaurant; San Pedro Square Bistro & Wine; Scott’s Seafood San Jose; and Vino Vino.

Since 2009, Dine Downtown showcases the exceptional restaurants offered in the center city.  Based on restaurant surveys, Dine Downtown customers come back again and again, trying new places and returning to familiar favorites.  In 2013, downtown restaurants served thousands of meals

“The San Jose Downtown Association loves to produce Dine Downtown because it promotes some of downtown’s best assets,” said Julie Carlson, SJDA marketing director. “We’re excited to see so many new restaurants and old favorites in the Dine Downtown mix this year.”

Dine Downtown restaurants, menus and additional information are at dinedowntownsj.com.  Dinner starts nightly at 5:30 p.m. and reservations are recommended through each restaurant’s website or OpenTable.com.

Sysco, the global leader in selling, marketing and distributing food products to restaurants, will sponsor Dine Downtown for the second year.  For each meal served, Sysco will donate $1 to San Jose’s Loaves and Fishes Family Kitchen.  Also, OpenTable will again take Dine Downtown reservations.

Meals to tempt the most discriminating of culinary tastes, including vegetarian options, include:

$30 for two people
La Pinata:
First:  Nachos, flautas or quesadilla
Second:  Super famoso burrito, mole enchiladas or enchilada/taco combo
Third:  Flan, cheesecake chimichanga or pastel tres leches

$39 for two people
Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant:
First:  Southwest egg rolls
Second: Baby greens, Caesar salad
Third:  Brewhouse chicken, miso mahi, bourbon chicken & grilled shrimp, and bistro steak medallions
Fourth:  4 mini sampler desserts

$20 per person
Bella Mia:
First:  House side garden salad
Second:  Oven-baked lasagna, ravioli trio or crab & shrinp cannelloni
Third:  Petite season fruit crisp

$30 per person

Blackbird Tavern:
First:  Soup du jour, green Waldorf salad or grilled farmers market peppers
Second:  Bourbon grilled chicken, seasonal risotto, steak frites or rockfish
Third:  Nectarine bruschetta or strawberries and cream ice cream

Da Kine Island Grill:
First:  Ahi poke, tako poke, salmon poke, Kalua nachos or Kalua quesadilla
Second:  Hawaiian plate, mahi loco moco, seared ahi plate, aloha spare ribs, flamin salmon, mango pork chop, Da Kine chicken Ceasar
Third:  Rum bread pudding or pineapple sticky rice

Mezcal:
First:  Oaxacan summer salad, tortilla soup or seared scallops
Second:  Bacon-wrapped filet mignon, sea bass or vegetarian duo
Third:  warm Oaxacan chocolate cake or Don Julio anejo neat, chocolate and sliced orange

$45 per person (six courses)

71 St. Peter Mediterranean Grill
Amuse-Bouche:  Chilled gazpacho
First:  Fresh Dungeness crab salad
Second:  Spring vegetable risotto
Intermezzo: Lime sorbet
Main Course:  Pancetta wrapped petite filet mignon, or sage roasted California sea bass, or roasted butternut squash ravioli
Dessert:  Apricot upside-down cake

$45 per person
Morton’s The Steakhouse
First: Caesar salad, Morton’s salad or baked five-onion soup
Second: 6oz single cut filet mignon (+$10 for 8oz), double cut prime pork chop, honey-chili glazed salmon or chicken bianco
Third:  Chocolate mousse or cheesecake

$50 per person

Arcadia
First:  Heirloom tomato salad or roasted corn soup
Second:  Grilled king salmon steak or petit filet & short rib rillettes
Third:  Chocolate molten cake or mascarpone cheesecake

$60 per person
The Grill on the Alley:
First: Charcuterie board or rustic grilled Ceasar
Second:  Smoked bacon-wrapped filet or sweet pea, lemon & prawn risotto
Third:  Vanilla brandy panna cotta

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San Jose Downtown Association is a non-profit group of business and property owners working to improve the vitality and livability of downtown San Jose.  Check www.sjdowntown.com.

Loaves & Fishes Family Kitchen is a non-profit organization that has served the working poor, families, homeless and seniors living in and around the downtown and East Side of San Jose for over 32 years. What began as a simple first meal of fish and bread for 11 adults and 15 children has grown to nearly 500 meals per day, served with dignity.  Visit www.loavesfishes.org.

Sysco is the global leader in selling, marketing and distributing food products to restaurants. Its family of products also includes equipment and supplies for the foodservice and hospitality industries. The company operates 177 distribution facilities serving approximately 400,000 customers. Visit www.syscosf.com.

New Manufacturing and Office Project Coming to Alviso

A large 34-acre project including 565,000 SQFT of manufacturing space and 450,000 SQFT of office was approved in San Jose's Alviso District (northwest corner of Nortech Parkway and Disk Drive, land formerly owned by Cisco). The project will likely result in 1,200 jobs or more.

Construction should begin by the end of the year and phase 1 will be two manufacturing buildings totaling 330,00 SQFT and two R&D/office buildings totaling 170,000. This is a speculative project, meaning there is no tenant in mind at this point.

Source: SVBJ

Tee Nee Thai Celebration

A beloved restaurant on The Alameda that burned down over two years ago is having their grand re-opening party this Friday, June 27th starting at 6:30pm. The festivities will include a procession along The Alameda with Thai dancers, food, and even wine tasting hosted by San Jose's own J. Lohr Winery. For all the info on Tee Nee Thai's celebration, check out the press release below:

June 2014 Downtown Dimension Highlights

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

• The city plans to reduce permit fees and red tape to hold events in St. James Park. There are a lot of great ideas floating around to activate the park like food trucks, aerobics classes, performing arts, games, and even "Zoo to You" where animals from Happy Hollow Zoo would visit the park. 
• The Dine Downtown restaurant week is being extended to 10 days and will run at 26 Downtown restaurants from June 20-29th. New participating restaurants this year include Blackbird Tavern, Blue Mango, Bluefin Sushi (Downtown is expanding into the Alameda), Da Kine Island Grill, The Farmers Union, First to Market, La Pinata, and Nomikai.
• Camera 12 Cinemas has reduced its rates for the summer. All moves are $5.50 until 6pm and $8.50 afterwards. Students, seniors, children, military, and library card holders (?) pay $7. They also added D-Box motion seats in their largest theater.
• A father-son team is opening the Wolfpack Enclave gaming center at 17 N. Second St. Gamers can rent high-end PCs to pay games for $5/hour. wolfpackenclave.com
• The former P.F. Chang's on Second and San Fernando is becoming M Lounge Bar and Restaurant later this summer, featuring Southeast Asian Cuisines.
• Garlic Bread BBQ Smokehouse is open on Fountain Alley (30 E. Santa Clara #160). Check out garlicbreadsanjose.com for more info.
• Broadway San Jose is adding an extra week of "Wicked," a one-night performance by Jerry Seinfeld, and a five-show package including multiple award-winning musicals.
• The Rotary Club of San Jose is providing Fourth of July fireworks after darkness falls on the Discovery Meadow. During the day, check out the Bacon Festival at Plaza de Cesar Chavez.
• The San Jose Rock Shop is hosting "90 Days of Summer" which is 90 consecutive days of shows for music lovers at 30 N. Second St.

To read the full newsletter, click here!

Joint Venture Index of Silicon Valley 2014

The 2014 Silicon Valley Index brings with it some interesting statistics related to our region. Here are a few quick stats from this year's report:

• Silicon Valley has added 46,665 new jobs (22,842 jobs were added in San Francisco). 
• The region's total population grew by 1.31% (13,766 people) versus 0.88% average growth statewide.
• Silicon Valley has 46.5% of all IPOs, 46.9% of Patents, and 47.6% of Venture Capital, and 54.6% of Angel Investment in California.
• Consumption of electricity has declined for five years in a row (189 megawatts of solar capacity helps quite a bit here).
• 45% of households are making over $100,000 a year.
• 75% of commuters are solo drivers, not a dramatic difference from 78% in 2003.
• Caltrain ridership has increased 26.4% from 2010 to 2013.
• For the first time since 2008, Silicon Valley government achieved greater revenues than expenses.

Click here to read the entire report. You can also watch a video briefing below.

Downtown San Jose Street Life Plan

CMG Landscape Architecture was hired by Groundwerx and the Downtown Association to shape a vision of Downtown San Jose's street life. Key to this is creating a sense of place and connecting the pockets of activity we have today to one another (San Pedro Square, SoFA, the Convention Center, etc.).

It is a long read, you you can go through all 6 chapters of the vision over here. There is also a nice abbreviation in slideshow form that the Silicon Valley Business Journal did over here.

I think there are a ton of great ideas in here. You can check out some of my favorites below.

Source: Groundwex

Downtown Parklets

Mobile Solar Hubs

Downtown Stages

Cool Posts

Downtown Shades to mark pedestrian routes

Downtown art walls

Downtown wall features (such as this tailgate wall near the SAP Center)

Mural Corners

Art Sidewalks

Urban Forests

Wall Gardens

"Heroic" Statues

Content Magazine 6.2 Pick Up Party!

Content Magazine is launching their latest issue tomorrow with another one of their famed pick-up parties. This one will take place at Downtown San Jose's newest craft beer hot spot, ISO Beers (75 E Santa Clara St. right next to Ike's Sandwiches). The event runs from 6-8pm.

If you are not a subscriber yet, learn more about Content Magazine over here.

Playful People Productions Presents: Disney Jungle Book Kids

For those with kids, there is a great family event at the Historic Hoover Theater (across the street from the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum). Full details below:

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 last show sold out prior to the show weekend so 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, June 20th  7:00pm
Saturday, June 21st 10:00am,  2:00pm and 7:00pm
Sunday, June 22nd 10:00am and 2:00pm

Tickets available at www.playfulpeople.net
$12 attendees 12 and up, and $8 children 11 and under

Tickets at the door (30 minutes prior to curtain)
$15 attendees 12 and up, and $10 children 11 and under

For questions: barb@galiotto.com

Playful People Productions provides a quality, caring environment in which children, youth & their families have positive theatre experiences, while being involved in many aspects of on-stage/ back-stage theatre. Our company fills a need of providing beginning through advanced theatre for the whole family to the community. The founders have expanded the program to include classes & summer camps.

Playful People Productions is run by mother-daughter team, Barbara Galiotto & Katie D' Arcey, who between them have approx 50 years experience in the musical theatre world. Both are Positive Discipline trained & worked as early Childhood Educators as well as in theatre. Both have worked as professional directors with children's theatre for many years.

For each production, Playful People Productions employs professional designers, artists, choreographers and directors to guide our students. The company also hires experienced college & high school students to do jobs in the production such as directors, stage managers, lighting, make-up, & set designers, choreographers and assistants. This allows students to gain work experiences in all aspects of theatre. The goals of Playful People Productions are: to provide the community with a variety of performing opportunities for children, youth & families to experience; to challenge young people in the community; provide a safe, caring environment; and to involve parents in a wholesome, well-rounded activity. The founders believe that a good theatre experience will greatly improve the lives of the children.

Saturday Stats: San Jose is the Most Expensive Metro

In the first quarter of 2014, median single-family home sales hit $808,000 in the San Jose metro. This is enough to rank it as the most expensive metro in the US by the National Association of Realtors.

The San Francisco metro (which also includes Oakland) ranked as the second most expensive metro with a median home price of $679,800. To put these medium home sale prices in context, the median for the 170 largest metros combined was only $191,600.

Source: SocketSite

Starlight Cinemas - FREE Films Under the Stars (Jun 14 - Aug 20)

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Enjoy great movies from the 1980s for free, under the stars, on warm San Jose summer nights, at Starlight Cinemas.  Come early and enjoy pre-show fun and games, often as entertaining as the main event.   

The eight-movie series produced by the San Jose Downtown Association begins June 14 with the only non-’80s film of the bunch, “Bend It Like Beckham.”  That film complements the opening day of World Cup soccer from Brazil, with San Jose sharing in four matches live on a giant television screen at Plaza de Cesar Chavez starting at 9 a.m. Check sjearthquakes.com/summerofsoccer for the full World Cup viewing schedule.

The second film of the series, “Back to the Future Part II,” also follows World Cup action, USA vs. Portugal, from 3p.m.-5 p.m. on June 22.  The big screen moves to St. James Park for that viewing.

Starlight Movie Schedule:

June 14 - Bend it Like Beckham (2002/PG-13) - Plaza de Cesar Chavez(following World Cup Viewing at 8 p.m.)
Set in London, Jess dreams of playing soccer like her hero, David Beckham, and will stop at nothing short of her goal. The girl’s independence clashes with her elder sister Pinky, who dreams of a traditional Indian wedding and making perfect meals for her man.
PRE-SHOW:  SJ Earthquakes/soccer-related trivia and games

June 22 - Back to the Future Part II (1989/PG) - St. James Park

(following World Cup Viewing at 6 p.m.)

See what 2015 was imagined to look like 20 years ago as Marty McFly and Doc Brown travel forward in time to prevent the future little McFly from going to jail.  But Biff gets hold of the time-traveling DeLorean, speeds back to 1955 and rewrites history by making his younger self filthy rich.

PRE-SHOW:  “How to make a mini Hovercraft” workshop and movie trivia.

July 16 - Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade (1989/PG-13) - St. James Park

The third movie of the Indiana Jones trilogy, this time with Dr. Henry Jones (Harrison Ford) and his father (Sean Connery) taking up the action.  Directed by Steve Spielberg, the Joneses go after the Holy Grail in a race against Nazis.

PRE-SHOW:  “Map with no names” as a treasure hunt guide to find the holy grail and Indiana Jones trivia.

July 23 - Ghostbusters (1984/PG) - San Pedro Square Market

Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Ernie Hudson and Rick Moranis star as NYC-based "paranormal investigators."  After their government grants run out, the former three go into business as The Ghostbusters, ridding The Big Apple of ghouls, ghosts and beasts.

PRE-SHOW:  Sing-off of “Who You Gonna Call” theme song; “Build your own” Sta-Puff marshmallow giant contest; movie quotes/trivia contest.

July 30 - Pee Wee’s Big Adventure (1985/PG) - St. James Park

Celebrate a “drive-in” movie experience on bicycle with San Jose Bike Party.  Watch as Pee-Wee Herman sets out across the U.S. on the adventure of his life to retrieve his beloved bike, which was stolen from him in broad daylight.  This was Tim Burton’s directorial debut and a stepping stone for Paul reubens and composer Dany Elfman.

PRE-SHOW:  Tequila dance-off; bike contests; DJ’s on bikes. 

August 6 - Pretty in Pink (1986/PG-13) - San Pedro Square Market

John Hughes writes and directs this '80s Brat Pack romance resembling Cinderella.  Molly Ringwald survives the wackos around her, including a boy hopelessly in love with her, her father and a record store co-worker to realize her potential

PRE-SHOW:  Alice@97.3 radio 18^th Anniversary ’80s themed dance night.

August 13 - Gremlins (1984/PG) - St. James Park

These little things are cute as long as they don’t see bright lights, get wet or feed after midnight.  So what happens?  All three things, and pandemonium ensues. Starring Hoyt Axton, Keye Luke, John Louie, Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Corey Feldman, Judge Reinhold and even the film’s producer - Steven Spielberg.

PRE-SHOW:  Rockage Retro Gaming Festival video games; Chiptune DJ; Stripe vs. Gizmo contest.

August 20 - Airplane (1980/PG) - San Pedro Square Market

This spoof of the Airport series of disaster movies relies on hilarious sight gags, groan-inducing dialogue, and deadpan acting -- a comedy style has been imitated for the past two decades. Alcoholic pilot Ted Striker has to land the plane after the captain gets food poisoning.  Lloyd bridges and Robert Stack have to talk him down.  Leslie Nielsen launches a career as slapstick leading man.  Please, don’t call him Shirley.

PRE-SHOW:  Comedy Sportz Improv troupe performance.

Movie night details include:

• Admission: FREE and open to general public
• Movies begin at dusk
• Pre-show entertainment begins about 7 p.m. (except World Cup datesJune 14 and June 22)
• BYOB or C - Bring Your Own Blanket or Chair
• Visit: www.sjdowntown.com/starlight; www.cinequest.org; www.sjdowntownparking.com; www.sjearthquakes.com/summerofsoccer

Starlight Cinema Series sponsors and supporters are: San Jose Downtown Association, CINEQUEST, Metro Newspapers, SanJose.com, City of San Jose, Republic Services, McEnery Family, San Pedro Square Market, San Jose Bike Party, and radio partners: KCBS 740 AM, Alice@97.3, Live 105.3 and NOW 99.7

San Jose Downtown Association (SJDA) is a non-profit group of business and property owners working to improve the vitality and livability of downtown San Jose for more than 25 years. SJDA produces events such as Downtown Ice, Starlight Cinemas, Downtown Farmers' Market at San Pedro Square and Dine Downtown. Visit www.sjdowntown.com. 

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