SJSU is Getting a New Student Union!

Wow, very nice looking building below. Thanks Vadin from the San Jose Development Forum for the info.

Design

The architectural firm Perkins+Will has been tapped to design the New Student Union, including the expansion and renovation portions of the construction. The new building will feature a more modern glass and steel design sensibility but still blend with the more classical aesthetics of the current Student Union. Established in 1935 in Chicago, Perkins+Will has completed projects in 49 of the United States and 43 countries around the world. The firm has received numerous awards, including the American Institute of Architects Firm of the Year in 1999. Below are sample renderings of what the future Student Union will look like.

West View

East View

Happy Thanksgiving San Jose!

Best wishes to all tonight! And if for whatever reason you are dining out tonight and still don't have a reservation, click here for a helpful list of options.

New San Jose Food Truck

As a follow up to the previous post, I am also informed that a new food truck will be launching at The Usuals' Black Friday event tomorrow from 12-3pm. It's called WOW Silog Truck and will serve Filipino-style silog dishes (combination of rice, eggs, and meats). Treatbot set the gold standard for food truck innovation with their Karaoke Ice Cream Truck, so WOW is also upping the ante with a full blown DJ booth inside the truck. For their premier, they're also going to have free beer and wine according to their Facebook page right over here. All the more reason to come to The Usuals for Black Friday!

Black Friday at The Usuals

We’re fighting big box Black Friday with our own Black Friday! This Friday…join us for our own “Anti Black Friday” Black Friday. Twelve hours of sales Sales SALES!!!!

From 8a-11a, take an additional 20% off of clothing, shoes, hats, and select accessories (jewelry excluded). Take an additional 15% off of all items on the markdown rack!

From 11a to close, take an additional 15% off of clothing, shoes, hats, and select accessories (jewelry excluded). Take an additional 10% off of all markdowns.

If you spend $60 or more, receive a complimentary set of Flip-up Glasses. All day!

Follow us on twitter: www.twitter.com/shoptheusuals to hear about secret DEEP DISCOUNTS throughout the day 

Get ready to throw them ‘bows!! Move out the way, yo!

Black Friday at Santana Row

Details about Black Friday at Santana Row!

As you all know, Thanksgiving is coming up this Thursday, and you know what that means: Black Friday is right around the corner! Don’t forget to come down to Santana Row for your all your Black Friday shopping needs (and wants)! We will be having great deals throughout the Row, plus amazing promotions in the Concierge. See below for some of the discounts being offered this Friday, 11/26: the best shopping day of the year!

Amber India – Special Black Friday Brunch starting at 10:30am - 2:30pm with regional specialties. Plus, receive 10% off gift cards (valid on $100 gift cards).

Atelier Aveda – Receive a free $10 gift card with every gift set purchase.

Beau Bijou – 25% off everything in the store. Plus, enjoy Brazilian coffee and cookies in the morning and cheese and wine in the evening.

Burke Williams Day Spa – Purchase a gift card for $105-$249 and receive an additional $25 gift card, or purchase a gift card for $250 or more and receive an additional $50 gift card.

Club One Fitness – Enroll on Black Friday & receive one complimentary personal training session and one 50 minute custom massage.

Donald J. Pliner – "Black Party": Cocktails, appetizers and an in-store Enter-to-Win drawing.

Eli Thomas For Men – Save 20-40% off storewide.

Fan Clothing – Receive 40% off of all outerwear.

Furla – Enjoy champagne and cookies, plus select styles from the winter collection will be on sale.

H&M – Opening at 7am with special discounts.

Hotel Valencia – Receive a special guestroom rate of $169.00 on Friday, November 26th 2010 only. Some restrictions apply. Promo ID: PROBFP.

InSpa – Free Skin Care sample – One per customer.

Left Bank Brasserie – $5 Mimosas and Bloody Marys from 11:30AM - 6:00PM.

Pink Stripes Boutique – Receive 20-40% off on select styles. Plus, spend $100 and receive a free designer scarf.

Rosie McCann’s Irish Pub – Happy Hour specials all day long. See restaurant for more details.

Roux Louisiana Kitchen – Enjoy 15% off your entire meal excluding alcohol with a receipt from any Santana Row shop.

Starbucks – Open at 3am for early bird shoppers.

Tales – Up to 50% off select items.

Ted Baker – Up to 30% off.

The Container Store – Enjoy free in-store Gift Wrap and Bow Demonstrations at 2pm and 4pm.  A $25 gift card will be given away at each demonstration.  Plus, spend $100 in a single transaction through November 28th and receive a $15 December Delight Card, redeemable 12/4 – 12/23/2010. Available while supplies last.  Terms and conditions apply.

Vera Bradley – Spend $100 or more and receive a free holiday tote. Plus, receive 25% off on select colors and styles.

Vintage Wine Bar – Enjoy Mimosas, mulled wine and free pastries.

Yankee Pier – Extended Happy Hour from 2pm – 6pm.

For even more saving this Black Friday, make sure to stop by the Concierge! If you purchase a Santana Row Gift card, you will receive a complimentary Santana Row water bottle (a $15 value)!

 Also, for every receipt you bring into the Concierge, you will receive a Holiday Scratch Off Card, containing discounts to Santana Row shops & restaurants, for each receipt!  Plus, every time you pick up a scratch off, you will be entered to win the grand prize: a $1,000 Santana Row shopping spree!  But wait, there’s more! If you donate a coat to One Warm Coat at their drop off location by Pinkberry, you can go to the Concierge to pick up your free Santana Row lawn chair (a $10 value)!

A Belated Congratulations to Josh Marcotte!

METRO Cover by Josh Marcotte

from Phantom Galleries by Cherri Lakey

Congrats to KALEID Gallery artist Josh Marcotte (aka Lost San Jose) for landing the cover shot for the current issue of METRO Weekly Newspaper! The feature article interviews Josh and his use of analog cameras along with several other San Jose photographers.

Marcotte is a photographer, writer and lifelong San Jose resident. He has been documenting his city for the past 10 years, first with a disposable camera, various 35 mm's, a 20D and most recently a 40D.

You can see more of Josh's work in his featured exhibit currently on view at KALEID Gallery through November 26th. (Exhibit details here.)

Tesla Factory Opens In Silicon Valley

I've been debating on whether to post about this for some time since the plant is located in Fremont, but I have to give Tesla some credit since they made an honest attempt to move to North San Jose first (they were blocked by government regulations on use of their loan funds). Very likely, you have already heard the news that Tesla has moved into the gargantuan NUMMI plant just a few miles away from SJ. The question I have, is how will this impact our city?

I have a few thoughts on this. San Jose has really made a name for itself for incubating and promoting green tech companies. In fact, we have the largest green tech cluster in the US and potentially the world. You can find everything from alternative energy companies to technologies making existing products more energy efficient... all right in our back yard. While green tech may not be as exciting as the .com extravaganza that made us famous in the late nineties, having Tesla nearby complements not only our existing green tech companies, but will help the region hit a critical mass for green tech much the same way we did for semiconductors and internet technologies.

Right before the turn of the millennium, I remember casually meeting the CEO of a tech company at SJC. It turns out he was planning to relocate his entire company to San Jose, and when I asked him why he told me "We want to be closer to ground zero. In our industry, this is where all the action is." We need to build that exact same kind of mentality for green tech. Green companies should be telling themselves that they have to be located in San Jose because that is where all the energy behind the green tech movement is emanating from. Having a company next door who is the leading pioneer of electronic vehicle technologies is going to help a lot in building that perception. So Tesla, welcome to the neighborhood! You can borrow the lawnmower anytime.



Tesla took possession of the Nummi automotive plant in Fremont, California earlier this month and opened the doors to employee tours on Wednesday. In the months since Tesla announced the purchase, negotiations with Nummi have enabled the repurposing of a complete paint shop, four mechanical press lines, a blanking line (used to cut sheets of aluminum before stamping), and a crane for use in the Model S production process. The purchased machinery will simply be retooled and tested before use. The Hydraulic Press Line has started to arrive; 50 trucks are en route to transport the entire line to Fremont. 

Tesla is focused on hiring the most talented people, retooling the facility, and creating the most energy-efficient and innovative automotive production process in the industry. 

For an explanation of the manufacturing process, please read Manufacturing VP Gilbert Passin's recent blog post. 

SJ Tries to Expedite $1B Worth of Development

A couple weeks ago the city council voted to to life the affordable housing requirements in redevelopment areas in order to get several major development projects moving along. A total of 4,227 units could be built very soon along the First St. Corridor alone. This will also undoubtedly help green light several downtown high-rises that have been percolating for a long time. For more information, have a look at this San Jose Business Journal article.