Veggielution Fundraiser Tomorrow

Veggielution's AVANT GARDEN 2011

from Phantom Galleries by Cherri Lakey

It’s a farm practically under a freeway yet Veggielution is a thriving community farm in urban San Jose. Their food and art fundraiser Avant Garden 2011 brings together chefs and artists to raise funds for the nonprofit whose mission is “cultivating education, community, and social justice through sustainable agriculture.”

The celebration at KALEID Gallery on Friday, April 15, in downtown San Jose will feature five chefs (Laura Stec,Liane Herrick, Joe Gaudet, Jessica Rene Krause and Mike Borgenhagen) cooking from the spring harvest at Veggielution. Some of the produce used: freshly picked kale, radishes, fava beans, garlic, arugula, baby lettuces, beets, carrots and spring onions. The farm’s chickens are even contributing their eggs.

Tickets are available for $10 online and at the door. Food tokens will be sold for $3 each to sample some of the chef’s creations, which include Grilled Spring Veggies and Chipotle Hemp Seed Aioli, Crispy San Jose Tofu or Baby Lettuce and hot sauce, Peruvian Purple Potato and Lacinato Kale Galette with Fava Bean and Green Garlic Chutney.

Along with the delicious food will be a silent auction of farm-inspired art by local artists. Check out the 20+ artists participating in Avant Garden and a sample of their work here.

Veggielution Avant Garden 2011 Fundraiser
Friday, April 15, 2011, 7-10 p.m.
Tickets: $10 online here or at the door; $3 per food token

KALEID Gallery
88 South Fourth Street
San Jose
www.KALEIDGallery.com

The Italian Cultural Center Presents Mark Leslie: Beyond the Pasta

The IAHF Italian Cultural Center on 4th Street is hosting a series of culinary programs this spring and summer. The first one features Mark Leslie, which is promoting his new book "Beyond the Pasta." Tomorrow, he'll be speaking about his experiences and will offer a tasting of his cooking based on age-old family recipes along with a wine pairing. To see the full list of culinary events at the Italian Cultural Center, have a look at the press release below.


Event:
Mark Leslie: Beyond the Pasta
http://www.mark-leslie.net/

Date/Time:
Thursday, April 14, 7:30-9pm

Venue:
IAHF Italian Cultural Center
425 N. Fourth Street, San Jose, CA 95112
Free parking onsite

Tickets:
$15 IAHF members; $18 non-members
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/165722
(or go to brownpapertickets.com and search for "IAHF")

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SAN JOSE ITALIAN AMERICAN HERITAGE FOUNDATION BEGINS

NEW SERIES OF PUBLIC CULINARY PROGRAMS

(San Jose, CA) March 22, 2011 – This April, San Jose Italian American Heritage Society (IAHFSJ) initiates an exciting new series of culinary programs curated by Massimo Chisessi to be held at the Italian Cultural Center near downtown San Jose. Starting with four initial evening programs, April–July 2011, these evening programs, including lectures, demonstrations, and actual cooking experiences, are open to IAHF members and the general public. Tickets can be purchased online at brownpapertickets.com, or by calling the IAHF office at 408.293.7122.

Beginning the series on Thursday April 14 is Mark Leslie, author of the cookbook/memoir “Beyond the Pasta: Recipes, Language & Life with an Italian Family.” In 2005 Leslie left his job as a theatrical producer and went on a journey that changed his life forever. He lived with an Italian family for a year, completely immersing himself in the culture. Each day, the family’s Nonna, (meaning “grandmother”) showed him how to prepare age-old Italian recipes while her daughter taught him colloquial Italian. In this very special evening, Leslie chats about the recipes and experiences he shared with this kind-hearted and often dramatic family, and their uniquely “Italian” way of looking at the world. There will be a small tasting of his cooking, paired with an appropriate wine.

In a two-evening series on Thursdays May 5 and 12, Viola Buitoni, a noted chef and expert on the history of Italian food, will present the historical and healthful aspects of the Mediterranean diet and discuss the principle elements of the Italian larder now available in California. Buitoni, a member of Italy’s famed pasta-making family, is the mother of a six year-old and knows first hand how to cook meals that are quick, healthy, delicious and Italian. She’ll illustrate the many tasty variations that can be inspired by these ingredients. Each evening, you will have the opportunity to taste one of her creations, and you’ll bring home her list of pantry items for future reference.

On Thurday June 9 Massimo Chisessi will teach a one-night course on how to produce Limoncello that’s easy, fun and addictively tasty. Participants will learn Massimo’s personal “secret” recipe, gain resources for the basic materials and begin production on their very own bottle of one of Italy’s favorite drinks. They’ll also go home with one of Chisessi’s liquores in a decorative bottle, perfect for gift-giving or a special evening at home.

Rounding out the initial series on Thursday July 14 It’s one of Italy’s most iconic foods. But did you know that this ubiquitous ingredient is not even native to the Mediterranean? In this panel discussion, you’ll learn about the history and mythology of the tomato. We’ll discuss the selection and cultivation of heirloom varieties that flourish in our microclimates, traditional and innovative preservation techniques and IAHF members will relate their memories of how immigrant parents and grandparents taught them to grow and prepare this delicious fruit. We’ll end the evening with a tasting of 10-12 types of heirloom tomatoes to illustrate the versatility of one of our favorite foods.

(More)

IAHF SPRING 2011 CULINARY PROGRAMS

All events are held at the IAHF Italian Cultural Center, 425 N. Fourth Street, San Jose, CA 95112.

Mark Leslie: Beyond the Pasta

Thursday, April 14, 7:30-9pm

$15 members; $18 non-members

Tickets URL: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/165722

The Italian Pantry in California

2 sessions:

Thursday, May 5, 7:30–9pm

Thursday, May 12, 7:30–9pm

$24 members, $30 non-members

Tickets URL: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/165929

Limoncello

Thursday, June 9, 7:30–9pm

$15 members; $18 non-members

Tickets URL: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/165935

Tomatoes!

Thursday, July 14, 7:30–9pm

$15 members; $18 non-members

Tickets URL: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/165939

Dishcrawl San Jose - April 26th!

Dishcrawl's latest Downtown San Jose culinary adventure is going to focus on the San Fernando corridor. If you still haven't attended one of these, they are a tremendous amount of fun and are definitely worth you time! The value for the amount of food you get to try is astronomical. As a nice added bonus, this month's run includes a wine reception at The 88's Club Room. Tickets will sell out, so get them while you can right over here.

San Jose's "Restaurant Row" Dishcrawl: Exploring San Fernando Street (SJ, Ca)

We're bringing familiar downtown favorites and new finds together!  

Begin this Dishcrawl with a wine reception compliments of the 88 San Jose as we enjoy their gorgeous club room.  Then, get ready for gourmet Oaxacan cuisine from the new food truck, Oaxacan Kitchen!  

Techies will love this Dishcrawl- bring your smart phones to light up the 88 SJ building!  

Venture down the way for a stop into Loft Bar n Bistro... and we'll keep you guessing for the rest. :)  Follow us on Twitterand Facebook for hints!

We will take you through four culinary destinations and maybe a surprise detour or two all in one night!

Boredom is not an option. Dishcrawling is a new way to discover your local food neighborhood. Get to know your neighbors over an exciting culinary adventure. It's delicious and fun! Price of one ticket reservation includes all food for one patron.

To reserve your seats, please register quickly. Tickets tend to sell out.

For those of you lucky to get in, see you soon!

**TO NOTE***
The meeting location will be revealed 2 days before the event via email.

We're sorry, but cancellations are only taken if done 48H in advance. Thanks for understanding!

Email hi@dishcrawl.com with questions.

Click here to purchase tickets.

Metro's Best of Silicon Valley 2011

A quick mention that Metro's Best of Silicon Valley 2011 is available right over here. A lot of my favorites made the cut, such as The Usuals, Andy's Pet Shop, Pho 69, and Anno Domini. Definitely worth a look.

PhotoSeries 0: Speed Art Crawl

Nothing like a night in Downtown San Jose. Josh and I went for the First Friday Art Crawl and in record time too.

I hadn’t been to one before so I brought along my camera to catch some of the crazyiness. Starting with a great view and dinner from the Knight Ridder building.

We caught a petty cab from KALIED all the way down to the SLG Gallery. Now, let me tell you a petty cab is the way to go. It’s like a mini-adventure. Here we are speeding down the street.

Mike White, show below, the author of Amity Blamity was at SLG working away. He was giving out personal sketches and papercrafts. Had a quick chat with him and it turns out he was heading up to WonderCon on Saturday too.

On our way out, Josh bumped into fans of the blog, Vanessa and Jared. Maybe we should have tweeted about each place we were heading to so we could meet up with more people. A tweet mob.

After hitting up a few more places we discovered…a KOALA~! Well it’s more of a koala butt, but you get the picture. [ah, see what I did there? ;) ]

It was great night for a speed art crawl. It’s wonderful being able to see a diverse amount of art mediums. Now some of you are probably wondering, where are the photos of the art?! 3 parts to that. A. I wasn’t sure some of the artist would like me taking photos of their work. B. The studios might not like it. C. It’s FREAKING Art Crawl! You need to get out there connect, talk, hear and see the art and people (I left off taste, unless you want to lick the art which is probably a no-no). So show your support for these local artists.

On our way back to the car I noticed these strange alien mushroom plants. Such a nice color. For the rest of our Art Crawl photos you can check them out @ here on Facebook.

Now others of you might also be wondering, who’s entry is this? Well, it is I Alvin. I’m a photographer from true2lifepix.com, you can check us out on facebook.com/true2lifepix too. One night after dinner Josh and I both talked about wanting to do a series of documentary street photos about San Jose and so we finally got together for first the series, South First Friday Art Crawl. You’ll eventually start to see more sets on the site from us. Let us know what you think!

SJ Metblogs: Museum of Art Lunchtime Lectures

Sounds really interesting for those that work downtown. There is another one coming up on May 4th.

San Jose Museum of Art Lunchtime Lectures

from San Jose Metblogs by Gary Wiens

Jehangir Sabavala - Marine Encounter

The free Lunchtime Lecture series takes place on the first Wednesday of the month beginning at noon in the Charlotte Wendel Education Center.

Bring your lunch or purchase from the Museum’s Cafe.

This Wednesday (4/6/11) Santhi Kavuri-Bauer, who teaches modern and contemporary Asian art history at San Francisco State University, will look at modern Indian art from the 1900s to the 1980s in the context of Indian history, culture, and politics in her talk, “A Historical Survey of Indian Modern Art.”

Visit the exhibition Roots in the Air, Branches Below: Modern and Contemporary Art from India (for which regular Museum admission applies).

San Jose Museum of Art
Charlotte Wendel Education Center
110 South Market Street, San Jose
408.271.6840

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

April 6, 2011 – A Historical Survey of Indian Modern Art
May 4, 2011 – Difference and the Politics of Identity in Contemporary Art

Lecture Admission: Free

Veggielution Avant Garden food and art fundraiser at KALEID gallery

Experience food, wine and art in the downtown San Jose to raise money for local artists and Veggielution!

What: Avant Garden 2011

When: April 15, 2011 7-10 pm

Where: KALEID Gallery 88 South 4th St. Downtown San José

Cost: Purchase pre-sale admission tickets $10 at http://www.veggielution.org/donate/Tickets at the door will be $10 

San Jose, Calif.--Avant Garden pushes the boundaries of food and art with innovative artists and chefs who will feature their creative artwork and appetizers to the public to raise money for Veggielution Community Farm. "We're really excited to see the outpouring of support for Veggielution's mission from the local artist community, and to build this bridge between healthy food and beautiful art,” says Amie Frisch, co-founder of Veggielution.  

Laura Stec, a local chef and author, Mike Borkenhagen, and other chefs will prepare appetizers and small plates in a live demo for guests.The sustainably grown, farm-fresh ingredients will be provided by Veggielution and other local growers. 

Avant-garde local artists will create Veggielution-inspired artwork available for purchase at the silent art auction. Pieces donated by artists explore food, urban and rural farming,  land, environmental, social, and health issues. Artists keep 0% to 40% of the final sale price of their artwork. The remaining proceeds support Veggielution.

Pre-sale admission tickets are $10 and come with 2 food tickets. Tickets at the door will be $10. Additional food tokens can be purchased for $3 each at the event. Purchase pre-sale admission tickets at http://www.veggielution.org/donate/

About Veggielution

Veggielution empowers youth and adults from diverse backgrounds to create a sustainable food system in San Jose. Our urban farm located at Emma Prusch Park in East San Jose engages the community by providing access to healthy and local food, creating youth leadership opportunities, and developing creative solutions to social and environmental justice issues. Our volunteer workdays, youth programs, sliding scale farm stand, and free community workshops give people a chance to get their hands dirty growing veggies. For details visit our website at www.veggielution.org.

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Amie Frisch
Director, Veggielution
408.905.7327
amie@veggielution.org
www.veggielution.org

Two Games To Go

The regular season is about to end for the Sharks in two short games, both against the Phoenix Coyotes: today in Phoenix, and tomorrow in San Jose.

Two things we know for certain: the Sharks are in the playoffs and Sharks have again won the Pacific Division title.

What we, as Sharks fans, must do now is to hope for a successful post-season campaign. If the playoffs started today, the Sharks would face the Ducks, the same team that defeated them last game 6-2. Many would argue, however, that Coach Todd McLellan used that opportunity to give the Sharks added practice time and to give goaltender Antero Niittymaki some time in the net, due to the certainty of the Sharks qualifying for playoffs and the Division title.

Fortunately, the Sharks are also anticipating the return of both Ryane Clowe and Scott Nichol. Clowe had missed the last game due to a lower body injury, while Nichol had missed nearly twenty games due to an upper body injury. Both players will be vital to the Sharks’ success in the postseason.

For the Western Conference, only the Vancouver Canucks, the Sharks, the Detroit Red Wings, and the Los Angeles Kings have already qualified for postseason, meaning there is a close fight between five other teams scrambling to fill in four spots – one of those teams being the Phoenix Coyotes.

Fortunately for the Sharks, they have had relative success against the Coyotes this year, outscoring them 17-7 so far this season. The next few days will determine rather quickly just how the Western Conference teams will fill out.

The Sharks play the Coyotes tonight at 7:00pm PST in the first of their last two games of the regular season.