Downtown Doors student art exhibit “Class of 2018” announced

20 new pieces of student art added to downtown landscape in 2018

SAN JOSE (May 3, 2018) – The 20 students selected for 2018 Downtown Doors exhibition shared personal insights and emotions to create artworks with themes ranging from the portrayal of strong women to the comical, all the while splashing vibrant colors and utilizing an abundance of techniques and styles on downtown San Jose’s urban landscape.

These compelling pieces of art will add aesthetic relief to San Jose’s core by being attached to downtown service doors and utility boxes located mostly on key thoroughfares.  The artworks also offer food for thought to thousands of pedestrians.

The winners of the annual competition -- now in its 13th year -- were among 170 submissions from students at 20 different San Jose-area high schools.  Downtown Doors are produced by the San Jose Downtown Foundation at 110 sites in the city’s core stretching from SoFA to north of San Pedro Square.  Using the same application seen on some light rail trains and buses, their pieces are enlarged, transferred onto vinyl decals and affixed tosingle- and double-panel service doors of large buildings, and a number of utility boxes throughout downtown San Jose.

Since the program began in 2003, 272 student works have been selected.

“Success is often measured by the amount of wealth, however, true success is measured in how we make the world a better place,” said Diana Beechie, past president of the San Jose Downtown Foundation.  “Our students have achieved great success by creating a more beautiful vibrant downtown.”

One central theme in this year’s collection of selected pieces celebrates women such as “Who We Are Is Who We Were” by Joann Nguyen (Piedmont Hills), “Cyber Story” by Elizabeth Thach (Evergreen Valley) an untitled work by Alexa Hernandez (San Jose HS) and “My Mother” by Keleila Taylor (Del Mar).  

Other works focus on nature and environmental awareness, such as the odd “rabbitsparrow” by Jennifer Deng (Pioneer), “Exploration of Impossibility” by Sunny Liu (Westmont), “Lured” by Lauryn Sugai (Leigh), “Belly Up” by Serendipity Tinsley (Del Mar), “Red-Shanked Duoc Monkey” by Ana-Gabriela Cadenas (Lincoln), “Tropical Toucan” by Romelia Zarate (Lincoln), Jakoby Leonard’s (Andrew P. Hill)  “An Avian Stare,” and “Summer Days” by Alan Camolinga (Leigh).

Techniques and styles ranged from watercolors to acrylics and abstracts to digital mosaics. Downtown Doors highlights include Emily Won’s (Leigh) “The Boy and His Umbrella” watercolor, Sam Rios’ (Andrew P. Hill) digitally produced “We Tread on,” “Abstract Still Life” by Cloe Smith (Del Mar), “Love at First Bite” by Hannah Cho (Santa Teresa), untitled work by Michelle Luu (Independence), Dillon Mulvany’s (Willow Glen) modern nighttime streetscape “Into the City” and “ARCANDYA” by Identically named friends Michelle Pham (Yerba Buena).

Downtown Doors has proven to be a stepping stone toward better grades, graduation, college and a leadership position in society.  Students often claim that the Downtown Doors competition confirms their talent as artists. Every person selected shows excitement at being included on the prestigious list of Downtown Doors winners.

A private reception honoring the artists and their works will take place May 10 at the San Jose Museum of Art.

Program sponsors include: Catered Too!, City of San Jose Office of Cultural Affairs, Cornish, Carey, Newmark & Knight, Kimley Horn, KQED, Offices of Councilmembers Dev Davis , Chappie Jones, Johnny Khamis, and Don Rocha, Orchard Commercial, Pestana Properties, Republic Services, Silicon Valley Community Foundation – Donor Circle for the Arts, and SV Creates.  In-Kind contributions by Adobe, Catered Too!, Juan Borrelli, Mangold Designs, San Jose Museum of Art and University Art.

2018 site hosts include: Imwalle Properties (former Camera 12 Cinemas), Fairmont Hotel, Westin San Jose, City of San Jose, The 88, Digital Realty, Harvest Properties at 60 S. Market St. and Hammer Theatre Center,

This year’s new installations and a walking map of the art sites are posted at sjdowntown.com/foundation.  The students’ work will be viewable for several years before being replaced.

The Downtown Doors Class of 2018:

Andrew P Hill High School

Title:  An Avian Stare

Artist:  Leonard Jakoby, 10

Location: CSJ Utility box at the southeast corner of Market and Santa Clara streets

Title: We Tread On

Artist:  Sam Rios, 11
Location: Imwalle Properties, on the former Camera 12

Del Mar High School

Title: My Mother

Artist:  Keleila Taylor, 11

Location: Imwalle Properties, on the former Camera 12

Title: Belly Up

Artist:  Serendipity Tinsley, 11
Location: Digital Realty

Title: Abstract Still Life

Artist:  Cloe Smith, 11
Location: Hammer Theatre Center

Evergreen Valley High School

Title:  CyberStory

Artist:  Elizabeth Thach, 12

Location:  Fairmont San Jose

Independence High School

Title:  Untitled

Artist:  Michelle Luu, 12

Location:  Westin San Jose

Leigh High School

Title: Summer Days

Artist: Alan Camolinga, 12

Location: The 88

Title: Lured

Artist: Lauryn Sugai, 12

Site Host:  Fairmont San Jose

Title: The Boy and His Umbrella

Artist: Emily Won, 11

Location:  Westin San Jose

Lincoln High School

Title:  Ana, the Red-Shanked Duoc Monkey

Artist:  Ana-Gabriela Cadena, 10

Location:  CSJ Utility box at the southeast corner of Third and San Carlos streets

Title:  Tropical Toucan

Artist:  Romelia Zarate, 11

Location:  Fairmont San Jose

Piedmont Hills High School

Title:  Who We Were Is Who We Are

Artist: Joann Nguyen, 11

Location:  Fairmont San Jose

Title:  Untitled

Artist:  Hannah Le

Location: Hammer Theatre Center

Pioneer High School

Title:  Rabbitsparrow

Artist:  Jennifer Deng, 11

Location:  Fairmont San Jose

San Jose High School

Title:  Untitled

Artist:  Alexa Hernandez, 12

Location: Imwalle Properties, on the former Camera 12

Santa Teresa High School

Title:  Love at First Bite

Artist:  Hannah Cho, 12

Location: Digital Realty

Westmont High School

Title: Exploration of Impossibility

Artist:  Sunny Liu, 12
Location:  Harvest Properties, 60 S. Market St.

Willow Glen High School

Title: Into the City

Artist:  Dillon Mulvany, 12
Location: CSJ Utility box on Santa Clara Street, between Second and Third streets

Yerba Buena High School

Title:  ARCANDYA

Artist:  Michelle Pham and Michelle T. Pham, 12

Location: Fairmont San Jose

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About:  The San Jose Downtown Foundation (SJDF) promotes cultural awareness and civic participation in San Jose and Santa Clara County through youth education programs, public events and art exhibits.  SJDF is the 501c3 arm of the San Jose Downtown Association (SJDA), whose mission is to represent business and property owners to improve downtown and enhance downtown’s vitality and livability.

 School tally of Downtown Doors Winners (2003-2018)

East Side Union HS District

(19) Piedmont Hills – 09, 09, 09, 10, 11, 11, 11, 12, 12, 12, 13, 13, 14, 14, 15, 15, 17, 18, 18

(17) Santa Teresa – 06, 09, 11, 11, 12, 12, 14, 14, 14, 15, 15, 15, 16, 17, 17, 17, 18

(15) Evergreen Valley – 09, 09, 09, 09, 10, 11, 12, 12, 13, 13, 15, 15, 15, 16, 16, 18

(11) Andrew P Hill – 12, 12, 13, 13, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 18

(9) Independence – 12, 13, 14, 15, 15, 16, 17, 17, 18

(9) Mount Pleasant –  04, 05, 10, 10, 11, 11, 12, 16, 17

(8) Yerba Buena – 10, 14, 14, 15, 16, 17, 17, 18

(3) James Lick – 11, 12, 16

(3) Oak Grove – 07, 07, 07

(2) Silver Creek – 12, 13

(97) East Side SubTotal

(50) Lincoln (includes Saturday Art Academy) – 03, 03, 03, 03, 04, 04, 04, 04, 04, 05, 05, 05, 05, 05, 05, 05, 05, 06, 06, 06, 06, 06, 06, 06, 06, 06, 06, 06, 07, 07, 07, 07, 07, 07, 09, 09, 09, 09, 09, 09, 09, 10, 10, 12, 12, 13, 14, 14, 18, 18

(32) Notre Dame – 06, 07, 07, 07, 07, 07, 07, 09, 09, 09, 09, 09, 09, 09, 09, 10, 11, 11, 11, 12, 12, 12, 13, 13, 13, 13, 15, 15, 15, 16, 16, 17

(13) Leigh – 09, 11, 12, 13, 15, 15, 16, 17, 17, 17, 18, 18, 18

(12) Homestead – 12, 12, 13, 13, 13, 13, 13, 13, 14, 16, 17, 17

(12) Pioneer –12, 12, 12, 12, 13, 13, 13, 14, 14, 17, 17, 18

(9) Gunderson – 14, 14, 14, 14, 15, 15, 16, 16, 16

(9) Willow Glen – 12, 14, 14, 15, 15, 16, 16, 16, 18

(8) Del Mar – 12, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 18, 18

(6) Cupertino – 10, 10, 10, 11, 11, 11

(5) San Jose High Academy – 04, 05, 05, 05, 05

(3) Downtown College Prep – 04, 07, 07

(3) San Jose High – 16, 17, 18

(2) Bellarmine College Prep. – 10, 17

(1) Leland – 16

(1)   Westmont – 18

(1) Castillero Middle – 12

(167) All other districts Subtotal

(2) Okayama, Japan – 14, 16

(2) Pune, India – 14, 16

(2) Tainan, Taiwan – 14, 16

(1) Dublin, Ireland – 14

(1) San Jose, Costa Rica – 14

(8) International Subtotal

(272) TOTAL

Guest Post - A Crisis Means Opportunity

Below is a thoughtful post by Leslye Corsiglia on affordable housing in Silicon Valley. This is one of the most significant issues San Jose currently faces and I have personally seen a lot of great San Joseans that have contributed to the local community leave town because they could no longer afford to live here. While there is no simple solution, there are several ideas to move the needle in the right direction below.

A Crisis Means Opportunity

Last month, the Mercury News published stories about a burned out house in San Jose’s Willow Glen neighborhood that sold for more than $900,000 and a condemned house in Fremont that fetched $1.2 million. These stories are vivid reminders of the Bay Area’s housing crisis and exemplify the dilemma faced by our residents, where even families earning six figures have trouble finding a decent place to live.

A new study by the California Housing Partnership found that Bay Area residents need to earn more than four times the minimum wage or about $60 an hour to afford Bay Area rents.  And even that might not be enough. Last year, the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development classified a family of four earning $105,000 as low income.

But in every crisis there is opportunity, and right now we have two options: (1) allow the housing crisis to fester, turning the Bay Area into a gated community, where only the wealthy can live, or (2) start laying the foundation for economically diverse communities through the development of affordable housing, so that all people have a chance for success.

Option one seems oddly un-American. Option two is closer to what the promise of America represents. So how do we get there?

First, we need a more regional approach to the housing crisis. Luckily, there is no shortage of ideas, and some are already hard at work on the problem. CASA—the Committee to House the Bay Area—is working on regional solutions that would increase residential production, preserve existing housing, and protect current residents facing displacement. CASA will complete its work later this year. Check it out: https://mtc.ca.gov/our-work/plans-projects/casa-committee-house-bay-area

We need our local communities to step up with solutions. Many are. San Jose has a plan to add 25,000 new homes, including 10,000 that are affordable, in the next five years. Mountain View just approved the North Bayshore Precise Plan, which includes 9,850 new homes. Palo Alto just approved a progressive Housing Work Plan to significantly increase housing production, and, of course, there is the County’s Measure A, which voters approved last year to create more than 5,000 new homes, a significant percentage for homeless families and individuals.

We need help from the state. Our Bay Area Legislative Caucus was instrumental in passing an historic 15-bill housing package last year, which included Senator Bob Wieckowski’s bill to increase accessory dwelling units (granny flats) and Senator Scott Wiener’s Senate Bill 35, which is streamlining housing development in cities like Cupertino in exchange for making 50% of the units affordable. But more tools and more money must be forthcoming.

We need the assistance of the private sector. New start-up companies like RAD Urban and Factory OS in Vallejo are using modular construction techniques to reduce the cost of building safe, attractive homes for people of all income levels.  

And we need you. We now have an emerging consensus that the housing crisis is bad for the Bay Area and California, and we need to offer ways for residents to do something about it. This week’s Affordable Housing Week provides that opportunity. The week is designed to educate, inspire, and engage the public about the housing crisis and what we can do about it with 27 different activities. Check it out: bit.ly/svhousingweek2018.

To create opportunity from crisis, we must act locally, community by community, neighborhood by neighborhood, person to person.

Leslye Corsiglia is executive director of Silicon Valley at Home.

May 2018 Downtown Dimension Highlights

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

• The BART Board of Directors has officially joined the VTA Board in recommending a single bore subway under Santa Clara Street, greatly reducing the impact to Downtown businesses as well as construction time.
• Four micro-retail spaces at the Market-San Pedro Garage will open on May 18th. Collectively these will be called MOMENT.
• A temporary dog park will open at St. James Park later this month, further expanding uses for the park. A full remodel of the park is still in the works with a stage (50 music events per year), two dog parks, children's playground, and a lunch grove.
• Google purchased the San Jose Water Co. site from Trammel Crow. This has already been entitled for 1 million SQFT of offices, 325 residences, and 35,000 SQFT of ground-floor retail.
• Miro is adding 20 more units to their high-rise at 33 N. Fifth, across from City Hall.
• A 14,000 SQFT 18th floor is being built out at 50 West San Fernando, right above the Capital Club. Elevators are currently being extended and the Art Deco circles at the top will soon be replaced with windows.
• Cinnaholic is now open at 115 E. San Carlos St.
• Habana Cuba has moved from Midtown to the SoFA Market and is now open.
• Formula Nutrition is now open and selling supplements at 15 N. Second St.
• Music in the Park returns June 22nd.

To read the newsletter, click here!

Happy Mother's Day!

Rick Jensen has some great Mother's Day suggestions from the latest edition of the Downtowner Online. Check out the full weekly over here.

Mother's Day
Sunday, May 13 | Celebrate in Downtown San Jose!

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Spend some quality family time in Downtown San Jose this Mother’s Day. Enjoy a Pre-Mother’s Day wine tasting with pop-up shops at Enoteca La Storia this Wednesday at 6 pm. This Wednesday or Thursday at the Hammer Theatre, go see The (M)others, which highlights the stories of four mothers brought together after losing a loved one at the hands of the police. Show Mom your appreciation by taking her to a Mother’s Day Brunch also at Enoteca La Storia this Sunday from 10 am – 3 pm. Or take Mom out for great food, beer and music at Forager Tasting Room & Eatery, where the SoFA Street Fair will be presenting a LoveSeat Session with local artists performing classic rock from 4 pm – 8 pm! More downtown dining options.

The San Jose Blog's 9th Anniversary!

It is hard for me to believe that the blog has been running for 9 years. I still remember writing the initial post fueled by the desire to prove San Jose is worthy of being the 10th largest city in the county and the capital of Silicon Valley (I re-posted it below, just for fun). Since then, there have been 3,406 additional posts and 3.34 million visitors to The San Jose Blog.

There is still much we can improve as a city, but it is no longer a challenge to argue San Jose is a world-class city. Rarely does a week go by without San Jose being in the national news. We are getting new development proposals weekly and across all sectors (office, housing, hotel, etc.), major infrastructure improvements such as BART and an airport expansion are moving forward, new landmarks such are a modern Light Tower are now an actual possibility--and most importantly--we have a culture that revolves around innovation. That means a willingness to grow, recognize where we can do better, take risks, and try things that push the world forward. As long as we keep innovation as a core value in our culture, the future will always be just a little bit brighter.

Thank you all for supporting this blog over the years. Special shout out to Jennifer Bullock and Kimberly Vacca who have moved out of San Jose for their next adventures. We appreciate all of their contributions to the blog and wish them the best on their future adventures--hopefully they will find their way back to SJ in the future ;) 

Now for a quick step back in time...

Music in the Park is back for 2018!

One of the largest outdoor music events in the South Bay is returning this summer. Music in the Park 2018 features four different bands: Tony! Toni! Toné! (R&B) on June 22nd, Toots & the Maytals (Reggae) on July 12th, Third World with Jordan T. (Reggae) on August 3rd, and Malo (Latin rock and soul) on August 24th.

Super early bird tickets are available now for $10 per person and once those sell out, general admission tickets will sell for $15 in advance or $20 the day of the show. VIP passes with a drink ticket, free water, and private seating are available for $35. You can order them over here.

Tony! Toni! Toné! Bring back the '90s - it ‘Feels Good’ with R&B hits from Tony! Toni! Toné! Come on, let’s get down, let’s get down, let’s get down (on June 22). Buy Tickets Toots & the Maytals  From '54-46 what’s my number' to 'Pressure Drop', Toots & the Maytals have been performing reggae since reggae’s earliest days. Experience the beats on July 12. Buy Tickets

Third World with Jordan T.Classic roots reggae meets island reggae fusion. Get your groove in your festival best with Third World and Jordan T. on Aug. 3. Buy Tickets Malo Malo brings Latin rock, soul and oldies center stage with hits including “Suavecito.” Grab a friend and jam out on Aug. 24. Buy Tickets

Southwest launching new flights from SJC to Hawaii

The good news continues to roll in for our airport. Southwest announced last week that they are going to add flights from San Jose to Hawaii. This is already one of the most popular destinations from SJC and is currently serviced by both Hawaiian airlines and Alaska Airlines. Competition means more departure options, lower fares, and more tax dollars for San Jose (both directly and indirectly). Southwest already implied that they will have the lowest rates for the route, great news for us.

Southwest is planning to fly to four different islands, Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and Hawaii-"The Big Island" (Kona). Tickets sales will begin later this year and service could begin as soon as this winter using long-range versions of Boeing 737s.

As an added bonus, Southwest is also planning to add inter-island flights. That means lower fares for those that want to travel to multiple islands on one trip.

Source: SVBJ

Cinco de Mayo celebration

Olla Cocina is throwing an all-day Cinco de Mayo party tomorrow with live music, tacos, and margaritas. Admission tickets are $15 and food and drink tickets are $10 each on-site. This one is only for those 21 and over, so leave the kiddies at home.

Greater Rose Garden Certified Farmers Market

A new farmer's market near the Rose Garden will take place every Saturday from 10am to 2pm starting this weekend. There is no official end date, it will continue as long as the community is willing to support it.

The exact location is 577 Dana Avenue (a Lincoln High School parking lot). The official Grand Opening Celebration of the new market is on May 12th at 11am.

Thanks to Alex Shoor for sending this in!

Veggielution's 1st Saturday

This Saturday, May 5th, Veggielution is co-hosting their 1st Saturday event with the Open Space Authority. Veggielution is a great organization that is taking us back to the roots of the Valley of Heart's Delight by farming right here in San Jose. The event is kid-friendly and free.

You can find the schedule below. For more info head over to the Veggielution FB page.

Schedule:

9:00am - 10:00am YOGA by Jovanna at Vida Lifestyle Yoga in collaboration with Be The Change Yoga & Wellness (Bilingual English & Spanish/donation based)

10:00am - 11:00am Gardening 101 Workshops by La Mesa Verde (English & Spanish)

10:00am - 2:00pm Farm Stand

10:00am - 12:30pm Farm Volunteering

10:00am - 12:30pm Neighborhood Harvest (fruit gleaning off site)

10:00am - 12:30pm Youth Garden Volunteering & Activities

10:00am - 12:30pm Our Community Kitchen Food Truck will be serving FREE samples prepared by a Community Chef alongside the volunteer food truck team

10:00am - 12:30pm Cocina Cooking Class - Spanish Language Cooking Class - Contact Rosa Contreras at 408-753-6705 ext 7 to sign up (25 max capacity)

12:30pm - 1:30pm Community Lunch (food offered and potluck encouraged)

12:30pm - 3:30pm Live Music

1:30pm - 3:30pm Art in the Garden

New 19-story hotel proposed for Downtown San Jose

KT Urban, perhaps Downtown's most prolific developer, is proposing yet another high-rise tower. This time around it is a 19-story hotel with 220 rooms next to the Hotel DeAnza on Santa Clara Street. The tower would be an angular 209-foot-tall glass structure, somewhat similar to Silvery Towers a few blocks away.

My favorite part of the project is the giant indoor/outdoor restaurant and bar on the penthouse floor featuring amazing views of Downtown San Jose and the Santa Cruz Mountains. Unlike the Capital Club, this would be open to the public. It's also a sign of the times, this latest generation of projects is bring more to the table than cookie-cutter buildings and is offering amenities new to Silicon Valley (I'm still waiting for a completed project with a rooftop pool).

The ground floor will also feature some retail, likely a restaurant. One thing that is missing from this project is onsite parking, and that is likely a good thing if you are an urbanist. They will partner with a nearby garage to offer at least 77 parking spaces for guests. This really shouldn't be a big deal, most hotel guests are already using Uber/Lyft to get around instead of renting cars--a trend that will only continue until autonomous cars take over.

Overall, this looks like another big win for Downtown!

Source: SVBJ

AT&T installing 200 "small cells" in San Jose

We live in the middle of Silicon Valley, yet it often feels like infrastructure is slow to keep up with the times and our population growth. My family on a tiny island in the Azores with a population of 4,200 people (not a typo) got fiber optic internet four years ago. I still don't have fiber in my home, and Cisco's headquarters is practically next door. I was finally able to get a gigabit connection through Comcast last year, albeit with the same copper wires we've been using for decades.

Some relief is coming soon for our choked networks thanks to a partnership between the city of San Jose and AT&T. "Small cells" are miniature towers that can provide high speed 4G LTE and eventually 5G internet to a small neighborhood. They are small enough to be hung on lightpoles or the sides of buildings. AT&T is planning to install 200 of these throughout San Jose, improving both coverage and internet speeds.

San Jose will collect $5 million over 15 years in exchange for letting AT&T use the poles. These funds are currently earmarked for digital inclusion projects that will extend broadband to San Joseans that cannot afford internet access.

San Jose will also get a $1 million grant to help accelerate internal permitting processes related to small cell deployments. 5G internet is coming within a couple years, and it relies heavily on small cell sites that provide gigabit speeds, but only to a small area. Speeding up permitting means we are less likely to be left out of the next major infrastructure improvement for the internet. It's great to see AT&T investing in the community and helping San Jose realize its vision for becoming a "smart city." It will be great if other telco's join in as well.

For more information on the project, click here.

Downtown Farmer's Market begins May 4th

Downtown San Jose Farmers’ Market season begins May 4

Fresh produce, hot food, unique gifts available each Friday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

SAN JOSE – The  Downtown San Jose Farmers’ Market, presented by Kaiser Permanente, opens for its 26th season on May 4 along San Pedro Street between Santa Clara and St. John streets.

Open each Friday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., the Farmers’ Market offers fresh-picked fruits and vegetables direct from California growers, gifts, goodies and garb from local artists, cut flowers and gourmet foods.  

The Farmers’ Market features from 25-40 vendors curated by the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association (PCFMA).  The market also features live music, demonstrations, recipes and other special events throughout the season. On Opening Day, activities include live music by Amigos Music, games and prize wheel giveaways by Mix 106.5 FM, and a participatory art project by Local Color.

Admission is free.

The market continues each week into November.  On average, 2,500 residents, office workers and visitors head to the Farmers’ Market and San Pedro Square for lunch, activities, people-watching and shopping.  Customers are encouraged to bring their own reusable and washed bags.

Market partner Kaiser Permanente has teamed with the Downtown Association and PCFMA for eight years to focus attendees on healthful and “green” living.

Follow the Downtown Farmers’ Market on Twitter (@SJ_Downtown) and Facebook (/sjdowntown and /DowntownFarmers’Market).  The market website is https://sjdowntown.com/farmers-market-presented-by-kaiser-permanente/

Parking validations for Farmers’ Market shoppers are available for the Market-San Pedro Garage at the SJDA information table.  Visit www.parksj.org.

About the San Jose Downtown Association:  The 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.  Established in 1986, SJDA programs more than 100 days of events each year.

Camino Brewery and Tap Room Now Open

Yet another craft brewery is calling the greater Downtown Area home. Located in a brick building that used to be a mechanic's warehouse just south of 280, the Camino Brewery and Tap room is officially open for business at 718 South First Street. They are now the 12th brewing company in San Jose.

In addition to traditional beers, Camino has also partnered with other local businesses like Chromatic Coffee to make some of their more unique brews (ex: Cafe Con Leche Sweet Milk Stout with single origin coffee). Camino has been getting a lot of traction on their craft beers and you can now find them at 43 Whole Foods, Costco, and high-end Bay Area bars.

San Jose Beer enthusiasts have a lot to celebrate. In addition to Camino, we now have Clandestine Brewing, Hermitage, Strike, Santa Clara Valley Brewing, Hapa, and Uproar all within a few miles. It looks like the trend won't stop anytime soon--San Jose's becoming a craft beer destination.

Source: SJ Economy Blog

Benjamin Grosvenor and Charlie Albright highlight Steinway Society Season 24

San Jose, CA – A line-up of international piano stars awaits classical music lovers in the 24th season of Steinway Society - The Bay Area. The season launches on September 15 and includes a concert each month through May 11, 2019.

“This season’s artists are all top international performers who are widely praised for their depth of artistry as well as their audience appeal,” said Lorrin Koran, MD, President of the Board for Steinway Society — The Bay Area. “They are artists that add greatly to the luster of the classical music coming to Silicon Valley next season."

THE CONCERT LINE-UP:

• September 15 (Saturday) - Zlata Chochieva –Gramophone includes her in their Top Ten Chopin CDs; her Rachmaninoff is so masterful that at age 12 she gave a recital shown on Russian TV.
• October 13 (Saturday) - Vladimir Ovhinnikov – The only pianist to win the top prize at both the Tchaikovsky and the Leeds Competitions. He is now a professor at the Moscow Conservatory.
• November 11 (Sunday) - Henry Kramer - Laureate of the 2017 American Pianist Association Awards and lauded as “triumphant” and “thrilling” by The New York Times.  
• December 8 (Saturday) – Sandra Wright Shen - A Bay Area treasure, international star, and Steinway Artist who is among Silicon Valley’s most treasured classical musicians.  
• January 12, 2019 (Saturday) - Kate Liu -  First Prize winner at both at the New York and the Asia-Pacific International Chopin Competitions, she has appeared on PBS’s “From the Top at Carnegie Hall.”
• February 10 (Sunday) – Vyacheslav Gryaznov – He thrilled our audience receiving three encores in 2016, has played Berlin Philharmonie and Carnegie Hall, and composes piano transcriptions that are popular world-wide. 
• March 12 (Tuesday) – Benjamin Grosvenor – One of the world’s most sought-after pianists, he has been featured in two BBC documentaries and is the youngest British musician ever signed by Decca Classics.
• April 6 (Saturday) –  Nikolay Khozyainov - The New York Times praised his “stunning virtuosity and prodigious technique.” His sold-out concerts bear witness to that.
• May 11 (Saturday) – Charlie Albright – Praised by The New York Times for his “jaw-dropping technique and virtuosity meshed with a distinctive musicality” the super-star American pianist has performed with Bobby McFerrin, Joshua Bell, and Yo-Yo Ma.

PERFORMANCE LOCATIONS: All performances in the 2018-19 season will be held at the Trianon Theatre, 72 North 5th Street in downtown San Jose, with the exception of the October 13 and March 12 concerts which will be held at McAfee Performing Arts Center at 20300 Herriman Avenue (just off Saratoga Sunnyvale Road) in Saratoga.    

TICKETS/INFO: www.steinwaysociety.com or (408) 990-0872

Season Subscriptions (8 concerts) range from $225 to $360

Mini-Series Subscription (4 concerts) range from $125 to $200

Single Tickets: $40-$60. Senior/Student Discounts Available      

PHOTOS: International piano star Benjamin Grosvenor, in solo recital March 12, 2019, is among the celebrated pianists coming to Silicon Valley in the 24th season of Steinway Society - The Bay Area. The season kicks off on September 15, 2018 and includes notables such as Sandra Wright Shen who is bringing a holiday concert in December, and noted American pianist Charlie Albright, who has performed with Joshua Bell and Yo-Yo Ma.  Benjamin Grosvenor photos courtesy of Steinway Society – The Bay Area.

ABOUT US: Steinway Society - The Bay Area is a non-profit organization, based in Silicon Valley. Now entering its 24th year in San Jose, this dedicated group of musicians, pianists, teachers and arts lovers promotes excellence in piano performance and music education. Each season, Steinway Society presents a series of classical piano concerts featuring international award-winning pianists, and works with students and school leaders to bring musical performances to the schools.

For more information on Season Subscriptions, the artists and Steinway Society, visit www.SteinwaySociety.com 

The SoFA Street Fair this Sunday

One of the best free music events in the South Bay rocks out this Sunday, April 22nd. This year the SoFA Street Fair is bigger and better than ever. Four outdoor stages, 12 indoor venues, craft beer, gourmet food trucks, street vendors, and of course--sofas. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday.

The event runs from 2pm to 9pm and takes place on First Street from San Carlose to Parque de los Pobladores. Back Bar, Caffe Frscati, Forager, Haberdasher, Continental, ICA, the SoFA Market, and Uproar are just some of the venues hosting live music. For a list of bands and venues, click here.

For more info, head over to The SoFA Street Fair's Facebook page.

April 2018 Downtown Dimension Highlights

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

• The SJDA has agreed on five strategic goals for the next two years:
• Downtown Vision and Plan
• BART / Business Interruption Fund
• Safety
• Homelessness
• Downtown Branding and Identity
• More parking Smart Meters that support credit card payments will be added this summer to the SoFA area, Downtown perimeter, and Japantown.
• The Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) received $200,000 from the Knight Foundation.
• Bishops Cuts / Color is now open at 1 S. Market.
• Tea Alley is open at 40 S. First St. [Josh: solid addition Downtown!]
• Skewers and Brew is now open at 66 S. First.
• Holy Cannoli is open inside Fuze nightclub at 58 S. First.
• Diridon Hospitality submitted plans to build a nine-story hotel with 254 rooms at 292 Stockton Ave.
• PATH is breaking ground on an 83 unit housing project near St. James Park.
• Sobrato is planning to construct a 204,000 SQFT office building at 353 W. Julian St.

To read the newsletter, click here!

San Jose is the 4th-best city for startups

Business.org crunched several factors such as the percentage of the population with advanced degrees, unemployment rates, startup growth rates, and rents to come up with the best cities in the US for startups. Despite having insanely high rents, San Jose still came in 4th place. SF took the top spot, followed by Austin and Minneapolis.

The percentage of young adults may have also been a factor that worked in other cities' favor. This was a criteria since this demographic tends to be early adopters. For the full list click the source link below.

Source: SVBJ