How to Take a Boat from San Jose to the SF Bay (?)

As surprising as this may come to a lot of people, San Jose actually hits water. At one point Alviso in Northern San Jose was a bustling seaport, and over time the area became completely unusable for any type of recreational boating. After many years of hard work, the Alviso Slough is dredged to the point where you can actually take a kayak or small boat (as large as 30ft in high tide), launch it from Alviso's "marina," and take it all the way into the SF Bay. Hopefully, this will open up the doors to all sorts of potential improvements to the Alviso area and provide San Joseans some recreational boating options once more. For more info on the grand opening of the Alviso boat ramp, just take a look at this Merc article.

One Less Hurdle for the San Jose A's!

The owners of the Sharks have made it pretty well known that they are not satisfied with the environmental impact report (EIR) for the proposed San Jose A's stadium downtown. Their major concern is lack of parking for days in which there would be BOTH hockey and baseball games. Well I found some good news in the San Jose Business Journal today. The owners of the Sharks have come to an agreement with the city where they will be able to build a new parking structure for Sharks fans, even if it comes down to requiring eminent domain to collect the necessary parcels. There are still many challenges in getting the A's to San Jose, but this will be one less roadblock in the way!

June 2010 Downtown Dimension Highlights

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

• SJC Terminal B Opens this Month
• The first flights by Delta, Southwest, and Alaska will depart out of the new terminal June 29-30th.
• There will be 40 shops and restaurants in the new airport.
• Free WiFi throughout, every fourth seat in waiting areas will have a power outlet.
• Close by long-term parking.
• The $1.3b project was completed months ahead of schedule and $140m under budget.
• Next phase of the improvement projects will be new surface lots and tearing down Terminal C to make way for future expansion.
• Tons of SJDA Events in June:
• Dine Downtown
• Music in the Park
• Starlight Cinemas
• SJDA is still pushing for an underground alignment of high-speed rail downtown. There is now a possibility of doing a shallow tunnel which would cost less than the originally planned deep tunnel. The only downside is that BART would then have to be a deep tunnel downtown, adding additional costs to that project.
• Late Night Improvements
• Police is working to simplify and reduce costs associated with nightclub permitting.
• Relationships between police and night businesses has improved thanks to a new downtown coordinator position, a "community-policing" model downtown, and businesses taking more responsibility with their promotions.
• New weekly raffles to help keep music and movies free, SJDA has begun selling raffle tickets at SJDA tables.
• Groundwerx Updates
• The Rep Plaza has been adorned with roses, petunias, lobelia, and other colorful flowwers.
• 6 new benches will be installed in Rep plaza and 7 existing ones will be refurbished.
• 9 hanging flower baskets will be added to light poles along with decorative lighting.
• The Rep Theater low wall on 3rd St. and the paseo will receive wall-mounted planter boxes
• Agenda Restaurant & Lounge now has a new chef and a "Southern comfort" spin.
• The Pasta Market and Panda Express have opened in the San Jose Market Center off Coleman.
• The new Hilton restaurant is now called Affinity.
• Red Berry Coffee Bar on 231 E. Santa Clara St. will be serving Barefoot coffee, Ecco Caffe, and Ritual Coffee Roasters.
• Teagre Tea Bar at 22 N. Almaden Ave #100 will be selling organic, fair trade loose teas in San Pedro Square.  They'll have over 100 teas from around the world along with condiments like honey, jam, and chocolate.  Sounds like they have daily tastings too.
• The Downtown San Jose Ross store will have its grand opening on July 16th.

To read the full newsletter, click here!

Today's SubZERO Schedule (Part of First Friday in SoFA)!

Schedule

ON THE STAGE (South First Street btwn San Carlos & San Salvador Streets)

• 6:30-7:00pm TSIGOTI
• 7:10-7:25pm BRAVE NEW WORLD (fashion show)
• 7:45-8:25pm FEROCIOUS FEW
• 8:50-9:30pm CORPUS CALLOSUM
• 9:50-10:40pm BEN HENDERSON
• 11-Midnight BANGERZ + SAN JOSE TAIKO

ON THE STREET
Moped Beauty Pageant with Mopedhead

SJ Bike Party's Friday Night Lights SPIRAL RIDE

• Start: 7pm
• Wheels on Street: 7:20-7:30pm

Museum Proper

• 7:00-7:30pm Museum Proper performance
• 8:00-8:30pm Museum Proper performance [leads into a 8.30-9.10 corpus callosum stage set]
• 10:00-10:30pm Museum Proper performance
• 11:00-11:30pm Museum Proper performance

Dr. Sketchy Anti-Art School

• Session 1: 7pm
• Session 2: 7:30pm
• Session 3: Brave New World models 8pm
• Session 4: Museum Proper Puppeteer - 8:30pm
• Session 5 & 6: Persephone Belly Dance- 9pm/9:30pm
• Session 7: 10pm

UBER First Friday Tomorrow ! ! !

What happens when South First Fridays meets the 3rd annual SubZERO? A true San Jose enthusiast's playground! I liken it to walking into the flagship Chuck E. Cheese off Tully when you're 8 years old. If you have never been to a SubZERO-supercharged First Friday, tomorrow is your lucky day. From 6pm to midnight+ you'll have the everything that makes First Fridays awesome PLUS live performances by 6 artists, a SJ Bike Party, Dr. Sketchy Anti-Art School, Museum Proper (a 12-foot-tall monster puppet), SJ FAM, SJ Yarn Bombers, The Summer Film Initiative, The Usuals, Veggielution, Barefoot Coffee, Treatbot, etc., etc., etc. There are literally a hundred reasons to swing by SoFA tomorrow. A shocking majority of the uniquely-San Jose cultural events, artists, and vendors we've been promoting for the past year will all culminate on South First Street... Tomorrow... 6pm! More SubZERO details below:

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3rd Annual SubZERO Festival June 4, 2010

South FIRST FRIDAYS presents the 3rd Annual SubZERO Festival

Kick off summer with SubZERO, a diy, artistically bent, hi/lo-techno mashup where street meets geek. Come downtown on June 4th to San Jose’s SoFA District from 6pm ‘til midnight for an inspired evening of arts & culture. In addition to the South FIRST FRIDAYS monthly art walk you’ll find an outdor stage of entertainment plus artists, performers & musicians celebrating the indie creative spirit!

FRIDAY JUNE 4, 2010 from 6pm-midnight
SoFA district in downtown San Jose
(on South First Street between San Carlos & Reed Streets)

Be sure to follow @subzerofestival on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook to keep up with the latest news as the festival approaches.

Here are some images from the 2nd Annual SubZERO Festival in 2009.

The mosaic above includes photos from: Brian Eder, Fenchurch, Cherri Lakey, and Paul Robinson. See more in the SubZERO Festival Flickr Pool. Come out this year and add a few of your own!

City Bites Walking Map

Today you have a rare lunchtime opportunity to walk around and sample delicacies from 30 different restaurants Downtown! Thankfully the SJDA put together a handy walking map to show you the most efficient way to hit up all of them =)  Click the image below to enlarge:

Final List of 2010 Dine Downtown Participants

Below is the final list of restaurants participating in the 2010 Dine Downtown event... all 32 of them! This is a great way to sample full 3-course meals at the top restaurants downtown without breaking the bank. There are MANY amazing restaurants on the list like Morocco's, Arcadia, and 71 St. Peter. One I'm going to highlight in particular this year as I did last is the Silicon Valley Capital Club. 3 reasons:

1.) You typically need to be a member to access this restaurant. Dine Downtown is the ONLY time you can get up there without being invited to a special event or knowing/being a member. Don't miss out on this once a year opportunity!
2.) The best views of any restaurant in Silicon Valley hands down. There are 2 massive balconies allowing for a 360 degree degree view of Downtown and Silicon Valley... outdoors... from the 17th floor of the Knight Ridder building. I can't think of anything comparable in the Bay Area.
3.) There is a new head chef formerly of Traverse, a Michelin star restaurant. A 3 course meal for $40 by a Michelin star chef is pretty much unheard of.

Full list of the 32 participating restaurants below.  Happy Dining!!!

Downloads:

Save the Date Reminder for City Bites Sampler Day

Download City Bites Map

2010 Dine Downtown Participants

City Bites

Chef Profiles

Our Sponsors

Volunteer

Become ourFAN

2010 Dine Downtown Participants
Click on a restaurant to see their special Dine Downtown Menu

• 19Market Restaurant - 19 N. Market St.; 280-6111
• 71 Saint Peter Mediterranean Grill - 71 N. San Pedro St.; 971-8523
• Affinity - in the Downtown Hilton, 300 Almaden Blvd.; 287-2100
• Agenda Restaurant - 399 S. First St.; 287-3991
• Arcadia Modern American Steakhouse - in the San Jose Marriott, 100 W. San Carlos St.; 278-4555
• Azucar - 71 E. San Fernando St.; 293-8482
• Bella Mia Restaurant & Bar - 58 S. First St.; 280-1993
• Billy Berk's - 99 S. First St.; 292-4300
• Britannia Arms Downtown - 173 W. Santa Clara St.; 278-1400
• E&O Trading Company - 96 S. First St.; 938-4100
• Emile's - 545 S. Second St.; 289-1960
• Eulipia Restaurant & Bar - 374 S. First St.; 280-6161
  
• Fahrenheit Restaurant & Lounge - 99 E. San Fernando St.; 998-9998
• The Grill on the Alley - in the Fairmont Hotel, 172 S. Market St.; 294-2244
  
• Gumbo Jumbo Cajun Fusion - 80 N. Market St.; 294-8626
• Habana Cuba Restaurant - 238 Race St.; 998-2822
  
• Hanuman Thai Cuisine - 1 E. San Fernando St; 286-2482
  
• Hawgs Seafood Bar - 150 S. Second Street; 287-9955
  
• Il Fornaio - in the Sainte Claire Hotel, 302 S. Market St.; 271-3366
  
• La Pastaia Ristorante & Enoteca - in the Hotel De Anza; 233 W. Santa Clara St.; 286-8686
• Loft Bar and Bistro - 90 S. 2nd St.; 291-0677
• Mezcal Restaurant - 25 W. San Fernando St.; 283-9595
• Morocco's Restaurant - 86 N. Market St.; 998-1509
• Morton's The Steakhouse - 177 Park Ave.; 947-7000
• Mosaic Restaurant & Lounge - in the Four Points by Sheraton, 211 S. First St.; 282-8888
• Motif Restaurant and Club - 389 S. First St.; 279-1888
  
• P.F. Chang's China Bistro - 98 S. Second St.; 961-5250
  
• Pagoda Restaurant - in the Fairmont San Jose, 170 S. Market St.; 998-1900
• Paolo’s Restaurant - 333 W. San Carlos St. # 150; 294-2558
• San Pedro Square Bistro & Wine Bar - 20 N. Almaden Ave.; 298-9463
• Silicon Valley Capital Club - 50 W. San Fernando St. #1700; 971-9300
  
• Sonoma Chicken - 31 N. Market St.; 287-4098