Winchester Mystery House Fright Nights Launches Today!

I would go so far as to call this the most anticipated Halloween attraction anywhere in the Bay Area this year. One of the most mysterious and haunted places in the world is finally getting a maze attraction for Halloween! For some behind the scenes information, check out their newsletter below:

Secrets of the New "Curse of Sarah Winchester Maze" We asked Fright Nights' Production Designer Jeff Schiefelbein to share some insight, EXCLUSIVELY for our 13th Hour Newsletter subscribers, on Winchester Mystery House's newest event! How did you get started in the Haunted Attraction business? While I was growing up, my parents always hosted elaborate Halloween parties for their friends. As a child I was mesmerized by the decorations and costumes and when I was 15 years old I put together my first haunt in the yard of my parents' Orange County home.  The rest is history. What was the planning process like for the "Curse of Sarah Winchester Maze?" When people hear that the Winchester Mystery House will be unveiling an all new Haunted Maze this year the typical response is, “Finally!” So in one sense it has been in the making for many years. In actuality, for this year's event we began planning with a site visit in March 2011. This has been a unique process because usually we get to work with an empty warehouse and have free creative rein on what goes in it. With Fright Nights we had to build it around existing buildings and a specific theme. You can't just throw vampires and zombies into the mix! We saw it as a challenge and opportunity and I am proud to say that we took full advantage of what the Winchester Estate had to offer. Plants come to life in the green house, the 15 foot rack of the fruit drying shed becomes a perfect butcher shop, and the tool shed, already full of scrap metal and tools from Mrs. Winchester's day, was easily transformed into a blood-curdling, twisted machine shop. Anything we should keep our eye out for in the maze? We incorporated the number 13 everywhere! Thirteen candles here, 13 pumpkins there, pumpkins carved in the number 13, 13 slash-marks on the wall, etc. Also, the seance room has some of the most advanced special effects used in any maze I've worked on.  We took a topographical map of the room and have a 360 degree projector that makes the entire room come to life. We hired on a very talented sculptor, he's worked with Disneyland on the Indiana Jones Ride and Pirates of the Caribbean among other things, who has created a life-size replica of Mrs. Winchester's tombstone and a fully functional fountain as if those killed by the Winchester Rifle took over Mrs. Winchester's Egret Fountain themselves. For more information on Jeff and the others in the Fright Nights production team visit, http://winchestermysteryhouse.com/frightnightscredit.cfm. Fright Nights take place on consecutive weekends and selected weekday nights beginning Friday, September 30 through Halloween, Monday, October 31, 2011. Additional event dates are: September 30; October 1, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31. Fright Nights begin at 6:30p.m.; closing hours vary throughout the event. Ticket sales began June 1, 2011 at WinchesterMysteryHouse.com/tickets with a new "Slasher Savings" option providing discounts of up to $20 for selected dates. To buy tickets to our Fright Nights event visithttp://winchestermysteryhouse.com/frightnights.cfm.

Who's Responsible for Raiding the Victorian Gardens? This poor soul was simply trying to park his car for Fright Nights in the VIP parking lot when he fell victim to the spirits of those killed by the Winchester Rifle. It looks pretty real doesn't it? The Winchester Mystery House has partnered with the best in the business to bring you the ultimate spine-tingling experience this Halloween. Imagination Design Works Productions is an independent entertainment Production Company formed for the purpose of creating feature length motion pictures, television programming and live entertainment productions. The company is owned and run by Brett Tomberlin and is the creative entity behind this year’s Fright Nights. The name Sinister Pointe may not seem too familiar to you, but if you are a haunt enthusiast in the Southern Californian area you have probably been to at least one of their haunts. They have been devloping haunted attractions throughout Southern California for over 14 years including Queen Mary's Dark Harbor, Irvine's Realm of Darkness, and the themed "Saw" and "Silent Hill" mazes (Universal Studios Florida transported the "Saw" maze to their park!). Jeff Schiefelbein, quoted above, is the creator and mastermind behind this gruesome company. While the above two companies hail from Southern California, the "Curse of Sarah Winchester Maze" couldn't have been completed without the help of some local Bay Area companies! For instance, our "VIP Parking Lot" was a true collaboration provided by J.A.Y.S Towing and Transportation, Delta Chargers (they provided a full-size yellow school bus), and Pick n Pull, "We sell parts, we sell cars, we buy cars!" What are you waiting for, grab your tickets now to experience the all new "Curse of Sarah Winchester Maze" yourself! To buy tickets online go to http://winchestermysteryhouse.com/shop/department/tickets. Supernatural Fans Get the Chance to Win a Trip to Winchester Mystery House's Fright Nights! Could it be? Are the Winchester Brothers on their way to the famed Winchester Mystery House? No, not really... but their fans are! If you are in the following ten areas across the country - Boston, Washington DC, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Hartford, Milwaukee, Oklahoma City, Albuquerque, Austin, and Jacksonville - then be sure to tune into your local CW affiliate station for instructions on how you can win a trip for two to San Jose, California, to experience Fright Nights at the Winchester Mystery House! Did Supernatural creator Eric Kripke really get the idea for the Winchester surname from Mrs. Winchester's famed home? He reveals all in an article on www.starpulse.com: Interviewer: Why did you pick the name Winchester? Does it have any supernatural significance in relation to the Winchester House? Eric Kripke: "The Winchester House is, indeed, one of the reasons I chose the name... I was a few days away from production and had to come up with a new name in a hurry. 'Winchester' just popped in my head, in part because of the Western connotations (and I wanted 'Supernatural' to have the vibe of a modern-day Western), and in part because of the Winchester Mystery House." Rentmaster, Angie and Noelle Talmon. "A 'Supernatural' Spin-Off? Death by Bad Taco? Series Creator Eric Kripke Explains." Starpulse.com. 14 Feb 2008. <http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2008/02/14/a_supernatural_spin_off_death_by_bad_tac.>

VTA Spending $488 Million on New Bus Projects

Next year the VTA is going out to bid on some substantial public transit projects. One will be at $128M project that will run 7 miles through the heart of Downtown San Jose from Santa Clara Street all the way down to Alum Rock Avenue. This route will have bus stations at one mile intervals that look more like Light Rail stations with ticket machines, nice landscaping, and additional security features. There will also be dedicated bus lanes along 2 miles of Alum Rock. Completion is set for Summer 2014. 

VTA is also planning to do $200M worth of work along 17 miles of El Camino from San Jose to Palo Alto and a $160M project on Steven's Creek between San Jose and Cupertino. Both are expecting to have greatly improved stations and dedicated bus lanes when possible. The VTA is shooting to have all of these projects completed by 2018 when BART begins service to San Jose.

Fore more info, click here.

San Pedro Square Market Sign Lighting Photos

Jennifer Bullock has some beautiful photos of the San Pedro Square Market Sign Lighting on Flickr right over here! The Market has actually changed a lot since those photos were taken, and I would highly recommend going there on the weekend to check it out. My current recommendations for the eateries that are open:

Vino Vino: Riesling and Brie, Prosciutto, and Fig Chutney sandwiches 
Pizza Bocca Lupo: Margarita Pizza with Buffalo Cheese and Cooked Prosciutto 
San Pedro Square Market Bar: Blueberry, Strawberry, or Watermelon Mojitos

Downtown San Jose Restaurant List Updates!

Several changes have been made to the Downtown San Jose Restaurants database over the past 2 months. We are now up to a staggering 206 restaurants, which I believe is the largest number of eateries in the history of Downtown! New additions are Crema, La Lune Sucree, Yogurtland, Zanatto's Deli, Bijan Cafe (which is actually a wine bar) and of course our first two San Pedro Square Market Restaurants: Pizza Boca Lupo and Vino Vino. We also have at least 7 restaurants that are currently under construction!

As as side note, I'm getting much closer to completing my mission of going to every restaurant in Downtown San Jose. Of the 206 restaurants currently open, I have eaten at 186 of them (90%).

Below is the changelog from the Downtown San Jose Restaurants Database:

• 7/22/2011 Added Yogurtland on 125 E. San Carlos St.
• 8/19/2011 Replaced Cafe 1850 with Crema
• 8/19/2011 A Taste of Paris Closed (Chef moved to Paris)
• 8/19/2011 Added Outdoor Seating to Good Karma
• 9/3/2011         Caffe Trieste is Now Cafe Frascati
• 9/3/2011         Added hours to Yogurtland. Open until midnight on Friday and Saturday!
• 9/3/2011         La Lune Sucree has opened where A Taste of Paris used to be
• 9/18/2011 The first 2 restaurants in the San Pedro Square Market are now permanently open: Pizza Bocca Lupo and Vino Vino
• 9/25/2011 Replaced Cafe Stretto with Bijan Cafe (not to be confused with Bijan Bakery & Cafe). Same owner as Bijan Bakery but with a different menu and Bijan Cafe has exotic beers and wine.
• 9/25/2011 Added new outdoor seating to Vino Vino

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.

Zanotto's is Now Open!

From the Silicon Valley Lofts & Condos Blog:

Posted by EricNo Comments »

Months after having to shutter it’s downtown San Jose grocery store due to the economy and stiff competition from The Market, local grocer Zanotto’s has once again risen from the ashes like a phoenix to re-open Zanotto’s Express on First Street. The new Zanotto’s does what they’ve always done best – offer a quick, healthy, and delicious lunch or dinner for local workers and residents. There is a huge refrigerator with pre-made sandwiches (I had a great prosciutto panini the other day – delicious!) and 15+ pre-made salads. All their pre-made offerings are made fresh daily at their Rose Garden location. They also offer several Grab-and-Go pre-made meal selections such as pastas, twice-baked potatoes, burritos – perfect for the SJSU student or high-rise resident who is looking for a quick, homemade meal. Two fresh soups are available daily. The focal point of the new space is the deli counter where you can build your own sandwich. There are plenty of meat, cheese, and condiment options to please even the most discerning palate. Round out your meal with plenty of unique beverages (including a nice selection of local wines) and delicious sweet treats. You’ll also find several specialty Italian foods such as olive oil, gourmet cheeses and pasta. There is plenty of seating both indoors and out. So next time you’re craving a tasty sandwich, stop by Zanotto’s – you’ll be glad you did.

What: Zanotto’s Express
Where: 80 S. 1st Street, between San Fernando and Santa Clara Streets in downtown San Jose
When: Open Monday - Friday from 10:30 am – 6:00 pm

Ritmos de Flamenco @ SCU!

Flamenco is a combination of song, dance, and guitar with gypsy roots. It's pretty awesome that we have a group that specializes in this exotic dance right in our backyard. Arte Flamenco de San Jose is a non-profit organization that has been promoting and teaching flamenco since 1992.

Their big annual show is coming up this weekend at Mayer Theatre at Santa Clara University and you won't want to miss it! Professional dancers, singers, and guitarists will be on hand to provide unique entertainment you won't easily find anywhere else in the South Bay. This performance is one day only, so if you're interested now is the time to act.

Also, if you become inspired to try out flamenco for yourself they offer classes right over here.

HP Pavilion is Getting Local Eats

It looks like the HP Pavilion is finally shedding some of its generic food booths and replacing them with vendors based in Silicon Valley. The four confirmed vendors moving in are Sonoma Chicken Coup (San Jose), Armadillo Willy's (Los Altos), Frost Cupcake Factory (Campbell), and Amici's Pizza (San Mateo). Three of those might be in business by October 8th, just in time for the Sharks season opener.

For more information, click here.

San Pedro Square Market Sign Lighting Video

Courtesy of Tom from WMS Media!