Microchip Technology Moves to San Jose

Another company is choosing to make their San Jose their corporate headquarters. Microchip Technology is moving from Sunnyvale to 98,423 sqft on 450 Holger Way in North San Jose. For more information and a great article on companies deciding to move to our city click here.

VTA Offering Free 4G Wireless to Riders

VTA is the first mass transit agency on the globe to offer a 4G wireless network on ALL trains. The new system launched a week ago on the entire fleet of 100 light rail trains. This is a huge value add that will hopefully get more Silicon Valley residents taking public transit. More info right over here.

The Usuals Event & Contest Tonight

The Usuals Present:
A Photographic Exhibit by Mark J. Sebastian Featuring FlavorInnovator
…Friday, July 22, 2011, 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Music by Cutso and Weezy of The Bangerz and DJ Bluz, DJ ThuyVu
Photobooth by John Dsr Agcaoili
Treatbot Karaoke
The art, of course!

MoGo BBQ
Treatbot: The Karaoke Ice Cream Truck

Make sure to get your hair did because John Dsr Agcaoili of Darkside of the Moon Photography & Design will be shooting a free photo booth session in the back with music provided by Dj ThuyVu and DJ Bluz. John is also on Booty Duty, so don’t be surprised if there are some girls milling around. In our store-front window, we will have none other than DJs Cutso and SquareWeezy of the Bangerz crew, serving tracks so hot, you’re going to need a mask to prevent your face from melting. Outside, MoGo BBQ will be providing korean BBQ style burritos and tacos while Treatbot: The Karaoke Ice Cream truck will be serving up dessert along karaoke while introducing two new flavors.

Artist and Venue Info
Mark J. Sebastian
www.markjsebastian.com

FlavorInnovator
www.flavorinnovator.com

The Usuals
www.shoptheusuals.com

July 2011 Downtown Dimension Highlights

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

• This year's Golden Nail award is going to Redevelopment Agency Executive Directory Harry Mavrogenes for his many years of service to Downtown San Jose.
• Christmas in the Park is seeking $240,000 in additional funding to continue to operate during the holidays.  They are planning to raise this amount through additional corporate sponsorships.
• 16 new artworks created by local high school students have been added to the Downtown Doors program, including new vinyl pieces on utility doors in the Downtown core.
• NextSpace Coworking is now open at 97 S. Second and provides virtual infrastructure for freelancers, telecommuters, and entrepreneurs. Visit their site at www.nextspace.us
• The TechShop is now open at 300 S. Second.
• In just 2 months of leasing, Three Sixty Residences is already 25% occupied!
• 3 new "tree islands" were added to San Pedro Street and overall walk-ability was improved
• 8 new bronze koalas were improted from Mexico and installed on the eucalyptus trees on San Carlos Street.

To read the full newsletter, click here!

Hitchcock's "The Birds" Tonight @ Post St.

I love how related events are being integrated into Downtown San Jose's Starlight Cinema series.  Last week's feature--The Big Lebowski--had an impressions contest and "Lebowski" drink specials in SoFA.  Fido in August will be coordinated alongside a zombie crawl.  And this week's feature will have a Bird Parade before the showing of, well, The Birds. Below is some info pulled from the Sherman Cellar's newsletter, which is a cool little wine shop on Post St. where this week's feature will be playing tonight.

Post Street Movie Night

Downtown San Jose! 

If you are a fan of Creekview

 

Click to View Video

Vineyards wine and you love classic movies, this next Post Street Movie is for you! 

On Wednesday July 20, Post Street Merchants and the Downtown Association present Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" for your nightmare causing entertainment.  Just to wet your whistle, Andy's Pet Shopwill lead a Parade of Birds (have one?  bring it on down) right here in front of Sherman Cellars.  You will not want to miss this movie. 

By the way, Creekview Vineyards wines will be featured at all of the Post Street and San Pedro Square movie nights: click HERE for a complete listing of Starlight Cinema Movies, and the pre-show entertainment! 

Chihuahuas in San Jose

Guest Post by Melissa Lisbon:

For many months, our local shelter, the San Jose Animal Care Center (http://sanjoseanimals.com) has been inundated with dogs, especially small dogs.  Almost 50% of these small dogs are Chihuahuas or Chihuahua mixes.  As a result of the July 4th holiday, the single worst day of the year for pets going missing, the shelter took in an extraordinary number of frightened animals, including a high number of chis.  

Why do we have so many Chihuahuas in San Jose?  Many people believe it is due to the trend set by Hollywood where Chihuahuas act as an "accessory" - thank you Paris Hilton!  The reality is that many people are still not spaying and neutering their chihuahuas and are trying to make a profit from breeding these dogs.

San Jose Animal Advocates (http://sjanimaladvocates.org), a community group dedicated to raising awareness of the homeless pet situation in San Jose, is trying to help bring attention to this issue and engage the community with this ongoing problem.  On Saturday, July 23rd, San Jose Animal Advocates will be hosting a fundraiser, "Buy a book, Save a Dog".  Community donated books, magazines, cds, and movies will be sold to raise money for two local groups who are making a positive impact on the chihuahua dilemma in San Jose.  Proceeds will be split between PAWS for SJACS (http://paws4sjacs.org) and The Perfect Dog (http://theperfectdog.org).  PAWs for SJACS is a non profit organization which supports the San Jose Animal Care Center and funds out-of-state animal transports.  With the money from the fundraiser on the 23rd, we hope to be able to fund another transport of chihuahua mixes to a humane society in Oregon or Washington state.  The Perfect Dog is a local dog rescue group that saves dogs from the San Jose Animal Care Center and the South County Animal Shelter in San Martin (south of San Jose).  Proceeds from this fundraiser will help this local dog rescue to afford to save more shelter dogs.

San Jose Animal Advocates, PAWs for SJACS and The Perfect Dog have also teamed up to develop a website that is specifically geared toward the Chihuahua breed and the Chihuahua crisis in California.  The name of the website is ChiFriends (http://chifriends.org) and the goal is to raise awareness about this great breed of dog and to act as a resource for other area dog rescue groups and shelters.

What else can you do to help with the Chihuahua crisis in San Jose?

 - Adopt a chi from the San Jose Animal Care Center (there is a July adoption special for chis, only requiring licensing fees) 

 - Spread the word about the importance of spaying/neutering your pets

 - Consider becoming a dog foster parent which allows rescue organizations to save more dogs

Two Buck Tuesday Today!

from Phantom Galleries by Cherri Lakey

Join us for an inspired evening of art demos, performances, live painting, scrumptious tastings,  $2 art & quirky people get together!!

Two Buck Tuesdays at KALEID Gallery
Tuesday, July 19th, 7-10pm
It's free and open to all ages!


Shannon Amidon will be creating and demonstrating her unique hand woven photographs.  http://shannonamidon.com/


David Mejia our resident portrait artist will draw your portrait on the spot for a small fee.


Jodi will teach a free sugar skull demo.  She will provide colored icing to decorate your skull as well as diamonds and other decorations to personalize it. Join in, get creative and make something beautiful! This month there will also be a a cupcake decoration station for you sugar lovers!


This month we have two unique henna tattoo artists, Laurel and Lisa Mejia, who will adorn you will beautiful designs both traditional and contemporary for a small fee.


Michael Denning will be creating art buttons out of his "Zen" drawings as well as helping you to create your very own art buttons out of collage and drawings for Two Bucks. Each button is 2.5" and will cost you Two Bucks to make and take home. Proceeds from his sales will help to benefit non-profit Project Knew Groove, a charity art organization based in Half Moon Bay. He’s also selling copies of his new book for $10. The first 50 copies are autographed and personally numbered. The cover was created on an antique hand-operated tabletop letterpress and all the books are hand stitched.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Michael-Denning-Heart-of-Chaos-Artisan/51790415784


Do you love plants but have very little time to care for them? Are you an apartment dweller with limited space? Never fear! Lara Sophia will help you make your very own terrarium! A miniature environment in a bottle, terrariums require very little attention, take up very little space and look great. She will have everything you need to create your own tiny, living world. Bring your own bottle or jar or use one provided for a small fee.
Lara Sophia will also be collecting lightly used shoes for Soles for Souls. Donate shoes to someone in need!
http://www.soles4souls.org/


Featured KALEID Artist Sean Sczepanik will be on site painting live and available to discuss monsters, cartoons and horror films in relation to Layers of Age in Monster Land- a dual site specific mural and exhibition with Steven Sczepanik (which ends July 19th after Two Buck Tuesday!)
http://shoeboxproduction.net/sean/


Crafting for Cheapskates Brings You: Sody Pop Art!
Can you believe it? We have finally improved on Kick the Can! Cut 'em up and create the perfect starburst frame for your brand new collage that you'll make at 2BT. Stick a pin on the back or hang it on your wall- either way, your friends will kick themselves for not thinking of it first. Don't feel like collaging? We'll take only a little offense to your whining, so it's a good thing that you can use an un-decorated sody can as an ashtray or take it home to insert your own photo. Just make it yours.
Pals Jo Anne and Courtney make art on the cheap by using crap from around the house.
http://craftingforcheapskates.blogspot.com/


Robyn Wilson will bring her handmade custom hula hoops for us to play with!
http://www.RobynsHoops.com


Ruben from The School of Arts and Cultures @ MHP will be sharing information about his art program The Art of Drawing Heros while students live paint.  The Art of Drawing Heroes teaches students more than how to draw people but how to better communicate through the practice of art and culture.


photo by Hannah Arista
A feature performance by Tahira: The Pure | Dance Theatre (PDT), a contemporary modern dance company. PDT produces a wide variety of conscious art and uses dance as an avenue for education and awareness of injustices. Using the universal language of art, we believe dance shatters paradigms, transcends through culture and cuts right to the heart.
http://www.wix.com/imanitahira/pdt


Cipacteo will demonstrate Aztec crafts and may also honor us with another impromptu Aztec Dance performance!


LIVE ARTISTS:

Force 129   http://force129.blogspot.com/

Kori Thompson
Andre Hart   http://www.facebook.com/TheAndreHart

Maria Guerra
Ivan Gonzalez

Kimy Martinez   http://www.kimyart.com
Sean Sczepanik
Kimi Star

EAZ    http://eaz-one.com


Chef David Ramsey will be providing samples of scrumptious food from Myth, a new Mediterranean Fusion restaurant which just opened in downtown SJ http://www.mythsj.com/

Haley Goodlet will be making snow cones for $2!  5 nummy flavors to choose from.                                                                                                                              
Sugar & Spice Amber Rogers and Theresa Dunnavant return to tantalize your taste buds with their sweet and savory treats!

As always, $2 art will be on sale throughout the evening!
Tuesday, July 19th, 7-10 pm - free & all ages welcome!


KALEID Gallery 
88 South 4th Street 


Downtown San Jose
http://

www.KALEIDgallery.com
(408) 947 1785

Italian Night Earthquakes Game this Wednesday

From Little Italy San Jose:

Wednesday July 20th will be "Italian Night" hosted by Little Italy San Jose as the San Jose Earthquakes face off with the Vancouver Whitecaps in Buck Shaw Stadium at Santa Clara University. "Italian Festivities" begin at 5:30pm and the games starts at 7:30pm. Pasquale will sing the Italian, American, and Canadian National Anthem. We will have Italian games, Italian food and wine, and special Little Italy Earthquake jerseys signed by the entire team sold as a fundraiser. Tickets are $18 each and $6 of each ticket sold goes to Little Italy 501c3. Please buy your ticket from us to ensure we get credit.

Follow the Link to buy your Ticket:
http://purchase.tickets.com/buy/TicketPurchase?pid=6965267&agency=MXED_TGS17

or send us an email for tickets jcmelander@yahoo.com

Buy "Italian Night" Tickets here