PINKBERRY GIFT CARD CONTEST IS LIVE!!!

In honor of the 2nd Pinkberry in San Jose at 1110 Blossom Hill Road, we're giving away five $5 Pinkberry gift cards. Also keep in mind that everyone will be able to snag some free yogurt at their grand opening party on Thursday between 6pm and 10pm, all while being entertained by guest DJ Evan Taubenfeld (lead guitarist for Avirl Lavigne).

Alright then, onto the contest.  This time around it's very simple:

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DESCRIBE SAN JOSE, IN ONE WORD

San Jose is [ your word here ]

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Everyone gets a single shot in the comments section below. Some disclaimers:

• In order to participate in the contest, you cannot post anonymously.
• Please use the format "San Jose is [ your word here ]" 
• You can only post a single answer, although it is okay to have multiple comments regarding other people's posts.  Posting more than one "San Jose is [ ]" answer in the comments below will get you disqualified!
• You cannot post anything that has already been posted by another reader.

But of course, there is more. You can also get a BONUS post on Facebook! All you need to do is find the Facebook post called PINKBERRY GIFT CARD CONTEST IS LIVE!!! and post another answer over there for a second shot at winning. It is possible to win 2 cards thanks to the BONUS post.

The contest ends in 24 hours and the winners will be announced Thursday morning! Good Luck!

Sharks Win Again, Sweep the Avalanche At Home

San Jose Sharks forward Ryane Clowe’s shootout skills win it again for the Sharks in the second straight game, putting the Sharks’ win streak at seven games in a row. The Sharks endured a nail-biting battle against a much-rejuvenated Colorado Avalanche team, hungry for revenge after their domination by the Sharks less than two weeks ago at the Shark Tank to the tune of a 4-0 loss. During the contest, Devin Setoguchi managed his first ever NHL hat trick.

Due to the defensive prowess of both teams, the first two periods remained scoreless. Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson quickly changed things with a power play goal just 1:18 into the third period to put the Avalanche up 1-0. Due to the slow scoring pace of the game, Johnson’s goal proved to be a significant game-breaker for the Sharks. The Johnson goal continued to be so until a very late third period goal by Joe Thornton tied the game up at 1-1, adding the much-needed energy to the San Jose fans in the Shark Tank and sending the game into overtime.

Overtime remained more of the same with an edge in puck control by the Sharks. Once the overtime period ended scoreless, the Sharks took control in the shootout, beginning with a Ryane Clowe goal, and followed up by Niemi successfully stopping all three Avalanche players from scoring.

Niemi again proved to be a much-valued asset for the Sharks organization. (No wonder the Sharks jumped at the opportunity to extend his contract.) Earlier this afternoon, Niemi signed a $15.2 million, four-year contract extension.

(It also helps that San Jose happens to be a wonderful place to live. Just ask any NHL player who has ever spent time here.)

For the Sharks, honorable mentions go to:

- Defenseman Ian White, who displayed his solid offensive skills by pinching in properly and effectively breaking out of the defensive zone to give the Sharks’ offense proper momentum.
- Antti Niemi, although facing only nineteen shots (as opposed to the Sharks’ thirty-five on Avalanche netminder Brian Elliott), the great majority of the shots he faced were dangerous. To top off his dominant play during regulation, he denied all three Avalanche shooters in the shootout to seal the Sharks’ win.
- Forward Joe Pavelski, contributing greatly to the Sharks’ dominant puck control. In addition, he almost scored when his shot beat the Avalanche netminder, but failed to beat the hard, iron crossbar.
- Captain Joe Thornton, playing another fantastic set-up game and scoring the goal that sent the Sharks into overtime.

As for the Avalanche, honorable mentions go to:

- Newly acquired defender, Erik Johnson, who went first overall in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft to the St. Louis Blues. Johnson proved to be a massive thorn in the Sharks’ side by not only blocking many shots and turning away scoring opportunities, but scoring the Avalanche’s only goal. Most notably, during a rush by Joe Pavelski in the overtime period, it was Johnson’s stick that kept Pavelski from succeeding.
- Goaltender Brian Elliott only allowed one goal (not including the shootout goal) out of the thirty-five shots from San Jose. He was the key in keeping the Sharks off of the scoreboard.

Catch the Sharks next Thursday, the 3rd, as the Sharks again face the Detroit Red Wings at home.

Cinequest Launches Today!

Today at Cinequest - March 1, 2011 from San Jose on Vimeo.

Pinkberry Gift Card Contest Starts Tonight!

To celebrate the grand opening of the 2nd Pinkberry in San Jose, we're kicking off a contest which will culminate in 5 winners of Pinkberry gift certificates! The new location is at 1110 Blossom Hill Road (Pueblo Plaza Shopping Center) and they're having a grand opening party on Thursday featuring free yogurt, music, and a celebrity guest.

The contest starts tonight at 7:00 PM!

Downtown San Jose Restaurant List Updates!

Here's the latest round of updates:

• Found another restaurant chain with the original location Downtown: New Tung Kee Noodle House
• Added Hawaiian Drive Inn on Santa Clara and 7th
• Made it past the 160 restaurant mark in my mission to patronize every Downtown SJ Restaurant!

If you haven't bookmarked it yet, here's the link to the spreadsheet! There is also a permanent link over to the right entitled Downtown San Jose Restaurants.

Save the Date _ "Blue to the Roots"

from Phantom Galleries by Cherri Lakey

Crossroads, Deb Barba

Canvas Ghost Productions is featuring Bay Area Musicians and Artists.

Blue to the Roots is an exploration of the early 20th Century blues movement.

Dig down into the roots of the Blues: Son House, Robert Johnson and Lead Belly are just a few of the artist that shaped that world. Come see the current artists who are shaping our world.

Children are welcome.

March 19th, 2011 7pm - 10pm
March 20th, 2011 Noon - 5pm

Canvas Ghost
992 S. 8th Street
San Jose, CA 95112
http:www.canvasghost.com

New San Jose Pinkberry and a NEW CONTEST!!!

It's no secret that the Santana Row Pinkberry has been insanely successful. It was the very first Pinkberry in Northern California and still has lines wrapping around it at all hours of the day, even when it's freezing cold outside. Swiftly responding to market demand, Pinkberry is opening a second location in San Jose @ 1110 Blossom Hill Road (Pueblo Plaza Shopping Center).

The new South San Jose Pinkberry is having their grand opening party this Thursday, March 3rd, between 6pm and 10pm. Everyone is invited! You may be thinking, what do they have in store for their very first guests?

• FREE YOGURT 
• Musical Entertainment
• Guest DJ appearance by Evan Taubenfeld, singer, songwriter and lead guitarist for Avril Lavigne

To top it off, The San Jose Blog is doing a contest on Tuesday to give away some Pinkberry gift cards! Stay tuned for more details. The format of the contest is still being decided, so make sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter just in case! =)




PINKBERRY OPENS SECOND STORE IN SAN JOSE
More Swirly Goodness Comes to Northern California on March 3

SAN JOSE, Calif (February 28, 2011) – Pinkberry, the number one tart frozen yogurt brand, will open its second San Jose location on March 3, 2011 at 1110 Blossom Hill Road – in the Pueblo Plaza shopping center. The Pinkberry Pueblo Plaza grand opening event will be held on Thursday, March 3. Consumers who stop by anytime from 6:00 p.m. through 10:00 p.m. on Thursday will enjoy free Pinkberry, musical entertainment and a special guest DJ appearance by Evan Taubenfeld, singer, songwriter and lead guitarist for Avril Lavigne.

Pinkberry is premium frozen yogurt made with real non-fat yogurt and nonfat milk that is rBST hormone free. Pinkberry is made with only the highest quality ingredients and is the perfect balance of tangy and sweet, resulting in a refreshing, clean and craveable taste.

The Pueblo Plaza location will be will be serving Pinkberry’s six distinctive flavors: the signature Original flavor, a sweet and tangy yogurt with a refreshing finish; Pomegranate, a bold and tangy flavor made with 100 percent California-grown pure pomegranate juice; Coconut, smooth and subtle, made with real coconut puree for a fresh and cool finish; a rich, indulgent Chocolate; Mango, a fruity and light flavor made with authentic Alphonso mango puree for a soothing finish; and a Featured Flavor that rotates seasonally, such as the recent Blood Orange, paired with succulent blood orange pieces, fresh blood orange purée and a crisp waffle cookie.

Customers can personalize every yogurt experience at Pinkberry with any combination of delicious toppings. At Pinkberry, uncompromising quality is paramount and the toppings bar is no exception. Each topping is selected with the highest quality standards, whether it’s Grade-A fresh fruit that is hand-cut daily in-store, organic gummy bears with no high fructose corn-syrup, all natural honey almond granola, 100% pure Pomegranate juice, or rich, premium Belgian chocolate shavings. Toppings are thoughtfully selected as a unique and delicious complement to the various Pinkberry frozen yogurt flavors.

In addition to frozen yogurt and toppings for immediate consumption, Pinkberry also offers Pinkberry Take Home, which is 25 ounces of Pinkberry, swirled-to-order and packed on ice to ensure your Swirly Goodness will get home safely to your freezer. Pinkberry also offers Fruit Parfaits, Smoothies, and Fresh Fruit Bowls as fresh and satiating choices for any time of day.

The new Pueblo Plaza store incorporates modern furnishings and clean lines into an inviting, lively atmosphere that mirrors Pinkberry store concepts across the country and established in Southern California and New York. San Jose residents are invited to experience its uniquely refreshing combination of tastes, textures and flavors as Pinkberry swirls daily in Pueblo Plaza from 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. on Sunday through Thursday, and 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Local fans who want up-to-the minute news and discount offers should sign up to be a Pinkberry Groupie at www.pinkberry.com/groupie. The brand can also be found on Facebook and at Twitter @pinkberryswirl.

About Pinkberry
Pinkberry reinvented the frozen yogurt category when it launched in West Hollywood, CA, in January 2005. Today it is the most talked about, best tasting, premium frozen yogurt, made with high-quality fresh ingredients. From store design to exceptional customer service to irresistible flavors and toppings, Pinkberry provides a social experience that indulges the senses. Pinkberry’s distinctive flavors are expertly crafted to complement its daily fresh-cut fruit and premium toppings that offer an irresistibly tangy, incomparably clean and refreshing taste. Pinkberry is certified by the National Yogurt Association and carries the Live & Active Cultures Seal. Get a taste of Swirly Goodness by visiting www.pinkberry.com.

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Features of Fury (Downtown San Jose Pillow Fight) Recap

Jennifer Bullock from San Jose Metblogs has a great recap of the Downtown Pillow Fight over at her personal blog right over here. You can also check out her photostream using this link!