CONTENT's San Jose Photography Contest

from Phantom Galleries by Cherri Lakey

San Jose Photography Contest
San Jose is a city of vastly diverse communities and cultures. Content Magazine is featuring these communities and celebrating you, our local artists. We invite you to submit your original photographic image(s) that displays and/or reflects your neighborhood–your community. Whether your 'hood is a place or a person, submit your best image(s) which will judged by San Jose creative professionals and, then, winner will be published in Content Magazine Issue 3.4 Nov/Dec. 2011.


Rules:
Contest is open to South Bay resident photographers of 18 years and older of every skill levels. Photos must not be previously published, must be suitable for publishing by Content Magazine. (Entrees must be a current resident of Santa Clara County to qualify.)


Prize:
Photographers of winning photos will receive:
• Photos published in the Neighborhood Issue of Content Magazine.
•Recognition on the Content Magazine Facebook Fan page.
•Images published on Content-Magazine.com.
•Two copies of Content Magazine Issue 3.4 Neighborhood
•Portfolio review by Content Shapers Additional honorable mention photos will be posted on the Content-Magazine.com Webpage.
WINNER NOTIFICATION - Winner will be notified in November 2011.


Deadline:
Contest begins September 9, 2011. All submission must be received by mid-night October 10, 2011.


To enter contest, visit www.content-magazine.com

Alaskan and Hawaiian Airlines Adding More SJC Flights

Alaska Airlines is adding new daily nonstop flights to both Kauai and the Big Island in Hawaii starting March 12th. To add to the Aloha party, Hawaiian Airlines is offering 3 new weekly nonstop flights direct to Maui starting January 10th. (their first service direct from San Jose to Maui). Hawaiian Airlines is also doing an introductory rate of $298.40 for the roundtrip flight if you book within the next 4 days.

I think it's safe to say SJC is pretty much covered with flights to Hawaii. Hopefully they will start adding some some new International flights soon. More details over here and here.

San Pedro Square Market - Sign Lighting Party

It is a special day for Downtown San Jose as the lights are about to go on for the San Pedro Square Market! In addition to a lighting ceremony you will also be able to preview what some of the tenants will have to offer, grab a drink at Vino Vino Wine Bar or the San Pedro Square Market Bar, and enjoy some entertainment. It's been a long road, but the most exciting retail project Downtown is coming to fruition!

Click here for the event's Facebook page.

Time	Friday, September 9 · 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Location	San Pedro Square Market 170 W. St. John St. San Jose, California 95110
Created By	San Pedro Square Market
More Info	Please join us for the ceremonial lighting of our awesome 180-foot neon sign. The San Pedro Square Market Bar, Vino Vino Wine Bar, and perhaps a few other tenants will be open for business. Show up around 6 for light entertainment on the Plaza, stay for the sign lighting soon after the sun sets. Party at the Market! Tell your friends! *Please note that the previously announced event planned for 9/10/11 has been canceled, but our bars will be open that Saturday, feel free to stop by.

@First Restaurants are Open for Business!

At the corner of 237 and First Street in North San Jose 80,000 sqft of retail development in @First is well underway. The area is anchored by a Target, Hotel Sierra, and the Brocade Headquarters, which have been open for a while. In mid August, the restaurants finally started opening up. Three restaurants are already open:

• Five Guys Burgers and Fries (the only one in the immediate area, and they make fantastic burgers)
• Chipotle
• Panda Express

I have already been here three times, and the area is quite a bit nicer than I expected. Between Five Guys and Chipotle, there is an inviting covered patio with heat lamps. There are small palm trees throughout the retail space. Near the Union Bank is what looks like a more upscale restaurant with substantial outdoor seating, an outdoor fireplace, and artistic landscaping (it's not quite clear what this will become). 

For the people that thought this area would only be busy for lunchtime Monday through Friday, guess again. Each of the times I've been was at 8 or 9pm at night and the restaurants were packed. After the rest of the restaurants open, this will likely become another highly trafficked center like Rivermark.

Additional Retail Planned for the center is:

• Sweet Tomatoes (looks like the next to open, almost ready)
• Fresh & Easy (grocery anchor)
• Panera
• Premier Pizza
• Chick-fil-A (first in San Jose)
• The Coffee Bean (first in San Jose)
• Union Bank (looks just about ready to open)
• Courtyard by Marriott
• Dry Cleaner
• Hair Salon
• Dentist

Kitten Season 2011 and why you shouldn’t bring your homeless kitten to the shelter

Guest Post by Melissa Lisbon from San Jose Animal Advocates:


It's kitten season, and our local San Jose shelter is overflowing with tiny felines.  Many people think they are doing the right thing by bringing a litter of kittens they find, or that their cat has to the shelter assuming the shelter will care for these little kittens.  This is not the case.

Many local cat rescue groups try to pull these kittens from the shelter and put them in foster homes, but there just aren't enough foster homes to rescue all of the kittens that need it.  Did you know that more than 3500 pre-wean kittens are euthanized in Santa Clara County shelters every year?  Unfortunately, shelters are not equipped to care for these little ones and do not have staff, volunteers or the money to do this. Unless rescue pulls them and finds experienced bottle-feeding foster homes for them, pre-weans are almost always euthanized.

Itty Bitty Orphan Kitty Rescue (http://ibokrescue.org) created the Pre-Wean Kitten Project in 2007 to encourage community involvement in saving the lives of these tiny kittens.  As part of the Pre-Wean Project, IBOK Rescue provides Starter Packs (which include emergency supplies such as KMR, a nursing bottle, a flea comb, and kitten food; informational literature; discount coupons; and an instructional DVD) to more than 20 Bay Area shelters and to all 40 Pet Food Express stores. These packs are given out FREE to anyone who finds orphaned kittens.  In early 2010 IBOK produced a 30-minute instructional video on how to care for pre-weaned kittens.  The video shows you everything you need to know to hand-raise the kittens until they are old enough to be adopted and is available on DVD and online.  IBOk has also collaborated with HSSV to develop a training class which is held bi-monthly at their facility and are hoping to offer this class in more locations soon.

On Saturday, September 10th San Jose Animal Advocates (http://sjanimaladvocates.org) will be hosting a fundraiser called “Buy a Book, Save a Cat” where the proceeds of the event will be split between Itty Bitty Orphan Kitty (IBOK rescue) (http://ibokrescue.org) and PAWS for SJACS (http://paws4sjacs.org).  The fundraiser will be held on the sidewalk in front of Elefante Blanco Thrift Boutique at 1343 The Alameda from 11am to 4pm.  It will include the sale of books, cds, dvds, cassettes and vhs movies.   Both organizations will apply their funds to support their spay/neuter initiatives.  Buying several books or CDs will pay for spaying one cat which means less kittens ending up in our shelters with little or no chance of survival.

--

Sincerely,

Melissa N. Lisbon
San Jose Animal AdvocatesCommitted to helping homeless animals in our community

web:            http://sjanimaladvocates.org

facebook:  facebook.com/sjanimaladvocates

twitter:       sjanimals

cell:             (408) 637-1282

Wednesday Wishlist: Dublin Spire

Over the summer I got to visit one of San Jose's sister cities: Dublin, Ireland. Out of all the cities I visited in Europe, Dublin was actually my favorite. The people were extremely friendly, there is history and character around every corner, great nightlife, amazing food, and it was very easy to get around either by walking or by bus. It also goes to show you don't need height to have a vibrant city (just about all buildings are under 6 stories).

There was one monument that particularly stood out called the Spire of Dublin or Monument of Light. It's a 398ft tall spike right in the middle of the city center that lights up at night and is easily visible from everywhere. It also happens to be the tallest sculpture in the world. People use it as a beacon to get to the city center and also as a meeting place.

I couldn't help but think of how cool it would be to have a sister monument in San Jose, perhaps even in Cesar Chavez park to replace our other "sculpture." We could also put a San Jose spin on it, increase the number of LED lights on the spire and make them either dynamic or interactive like the lighting system on The 88 or one of the Zero1 exhibits last year. It would be way to honor a sister city and also create a permanent landmark in San Jose's skyline!

The Tech After Hours is Happening Tomorrow!

First Wednesday of the month 
NEW Longer Hours!
6:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.After Hours is the new monthly themed event where adults only can enjoy science, technology, entertainment and cocktails together with their friends. Each month is new and different.

Like our new After Hours Facebook page!   DNA with a Twist
Wednesday, September 7
6:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.

Get your game face on.

• Test your CSI skills with "Biotech Tool Time", take home a DNA Necklace, or try your hand at Ear Wax Chromatography (Great for First Dates)!
• Enjoy the sunset on our roof while listening to tunes from local live band Sunrunners.
• Enjoy giant games like 4-feet-tall Jenga-style blocks, Over-Sized Chess, Giant Four in a Row. Plus, get tangled up on our behemoth inflated Twister Board!
• Sip on a glow-in-the-dark "Tech-Tini" from our no-host bar.
• Explore the entire museum under moody blue lighting as you decide whether to play a bevy of giant games, move to XBox "Dance Central", or just relax with friends!
• Limited cafe menu available for purchase.

For more information or to buy tickets please call (408) 294-8324. Or buy online now. (service charges may apply. Members service charges waived.)

Get directions and parking tips.

Nothing Bundt Cakes Contest Winner!

It was a very difficult decision with so many great entries, but we finally have a winner.

Congratulations to Jonathan with the Runaway Groom story! You'll be enjoying a lot of great cake over the next year.

A huge thank you to all those that participated, especially our runners up Chrystal and Diana. Of course I would also like to thank Nothing Bundt Cakes in Willow Glen (1702 Meridian) for sponsoring this contest. Everyone please go check them out!