- A pilot program launched in July to turn some street parking spaces into sidewalk dining (similar to the space outside Caffe Frascati). Chacho's is expected to be one of the first restaurants to take advantage of this
- The City Council is selling off RDA-owned parcels in order to help pay down the agency's $4B debt. (The new owners of these parcels will hopefully be willing to redevelop them into something that adds value to the community).
- A $210M family courthouse has been approved in the new state budget and construction is set to begin in 2013 and end in 2015. This will create 20 new courtrooms in a 234,000 sqft building that could be up to 9 or 10 stories tall.
- Sign code has been amended to be more flexible, allowing programmable electronic signs on a variety of businesses and larger signs for event venues such as the Rep (which can now have up to a 25 foot high electronic sign)
- 3,500 people attended the Fountain Blues Festival in St. James Park, a 33% increase over the previous year.
- Groundwerx projects planned for the rest of 2012:
- Install decorative LED lighting along First and Second streets between Santa Clara and San Carlos (the transit mall).
- Paint a design on the walls of the parking lot fronting Almaden and Woz across from the convention center.
- Assist in the construction of granite benches in SoFA
- New Businesses
- Original Gravity Public House (66 S. First) - New craft brew pub with 25 beers on tap that rotate multiple times per week, gourmet sausages, and duck-fat fries (Josh: have already been here, epic new addition Downtown)
- Siren Fish & Reptiles (18 N. First) - Specialty pets such as fish, birds, and reptiles.
- Lilies Hair Studio & Barber Shop (196 N. Third - 2nd Floor)
- Beauty P & T Hair and Nail Salon (92 E. San Salvador)
- Don's Shoeshine (160 W. Santa Clara St.)
Monday, August 20, 2012
August 2012 Downtown Dimension Highlights
Here are my notes from the latest edition of Downtown Dimension:
Sunday, August 19, 2012
MythBusters Audition Tomorrow
Do you love science? Have you ever watched the popular show MythBusters on the Discovery Channel? Would you like to "bust" a few myths of your own? Well, come audition August 20 from 2 - 7 p.m. for MythBusters: The Explosive Exhibition, the blockbuster exhibition is making its West Coast premiere at The Tech Museum. You may earn a spot on the museum's team of "MythBusters" that perform live MythBusting demonstrations for hundreds of visitors!
This is a paid position. Rehearsals start in September and the exhibition runs October 13, 2012 through January 6, 2013. Shifts available from 9 a.m. through 9 p.m. daily during the run of the exhibition. Audition will consist of a reading from a provided script and an improv exercise so dress appropriately.
Please arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled time for registration.
Bring a current resume, headshot and your availability for September 2012 though January 6, 2013
Audition Location:
The Tech Museum
201 S. Market Street
San Jose, CA 95113
Please call:
(408) 795-6116
¡VivaFest! Mexican Heritage and Mariachi Festival Forms Partnership with CasaQ for Curatorial Cultural Events
San Jose, CA - August 8, 2012 - This year when ¡VivaFest! was looking to expand the 21st Annual Mariachi and Mexican Heritage Festival they turned to none other than Darlene Tenes of CasaQ, who is renowned for creating exclusive events and cultural experiences which incorporate the traditions and customs of Spain, Mexico and Latin America.
“¡VivaFest! is proud to be partnering with Darlene Tenes of CasaQ,” remarks Marcela Davison Aviles, Mexican Heritage Corporation President and CEO, “who has created memorable events that celebrate the foods, films and history of Mexico and Latin America.”
Two significant occasions this year gave Tenes the inspiration for four of the many events planned: the 20th Anniversary of Como Agua Para Chocolate (Like Water for Chocolate) movie and the end of the Maya Calendar.
Like Water for Chocolate is an award-winning film based on the best-selling novel by Laura Esquivel, with a cult-like following of romantics and foodies making it the highest grossing Spanish-language film ever released in the United States. The romantic fable from Mexico centers on a young woman who discovers that her cooking has magical effects. The original film will be shown at the Tech Museum along with a chocolate tasting, and on a separate evening, a multi-course dinner at the Fairmont San Jose. Diners will indulge on an incredible menu of Mexican cuisine based on the book with special guest Grammy award winning artist, Lila Downs who is currently working on a musical adaptation of Like Water for Chocolate for Broadway.
Additional events will examine the end of the Maya Calendar phenomenon with world-renowned experts of Maya spirituality, astronomy, language, culture, science and philosophy. The Tech Museum will host “Maya Calendar Revealed” event which will feature the documentary 2012: The Beginning by Shannon Kring Bruset along with a panel of experts including Dr. Isabel Hawkins, an astronomer and Maya expert from the Exploratorium and Doña María Ávila Vera, a Maya elder from the Yucatán, Mexico and Dr. Jean Molesky-Poz author of Contemporary Maya Spirituality: The Ancient Ways Are Not Lost. One special guest, Tata José Soc Chivalán, a Maya spiritual leader, will be traveling for the first time not just outside his country of Guatemala but also outside of his village. “The Maya Empire Feast” will take place at the Fairmont San Jose and will feature indigenous foods of the Maya exploring the rich abundance of fruits, meats and vegetables native to the Yucatán region of Mexico prior to the Spanish Conquistadors arrival in the Americas. The event has been billed as a “dining experience for the most adventurous foodies” and is rumored to have an iguana course.
CasaQ’s Cine y Cena events will also include an evening with award-winning producer/writer Rick Najera best known for his work with In Living Color, MadTV, Latinologues and Nothing Like the Holidays who will give guests a behind the scenes look at his latest film offering Taco Shop. This comedy centered on a young man nicknamed Smokes, played by Tyler Posey of Teen Wolf fame, quits his taco shop job to open his own shop across the street and ends up finding himself in an all-out war when a gourmet taco truck parks across the street. There will of course be dueling taco trucks to start off the evening.
“I am excited to create and be a part of these once-in-a-lifetime experiences,” said Darlene Tenes, CasaQ founder, “and am fortunate to have the opportunity to bring together such an array of interesting people to share their knowledge, talents and gifts with others.”
CasaQ events for ¡VivaFest! range in price from $5 to $250 per person, and will be take place between September 8 through 30, 2012 at the Fairmont San Jose, Tech Museum and other locations in San Jose, CA.
Reservations and more information for CasaQ’s exclusive events for VivaFest can be found at http://www.casaqevents.com
# # #
About CasaQ
CasaQ is a San Jose-based Hispanic lifestyle company, founded in 2005 by Darlene Tenes that is dedicated to providing unique products, services and content geared toward people who embrace the Latino culture. Ms. Tenes is renowned for planning festive and creative Hispanic events, which incorporate the traditions and customs of Spain, Mexico and Latin America. www.casaq.com
About the Mexican Heritage Corporation: Now in its 21th year, VivaFest! is Northern California’s leading Latino cultural destination event. With a mission to affirm, celebrate and preserve the rich cultural heritage of the Mexican community and showcase multicultural arts within the region and nationally, MHC both presents and produces a vibrant array of multi-disciplinary arts programs in theatre, dance, and music education and in the visual arts. Visit www.mhcviva.org or www.vivafest.org.
“¡VivaFest! is proud to be partnering with Darlene Tenes of CasaQ,” remarks Marcela Davison Aviles, Mexican Heritage Corporation President and CEO, “who has created memorable events that celebrate the foods, films and history of Mexico and Latin America.”
Two significant occasions this year gave Tenes the inspiration for four of the many events planned: the 20th Anniversary of Como Agua Para Chocolate (Like Water for Chocolate) movie and the end of the Maya Calendar.
Like Water for Chocolate is an award-winning film based on the best-selling novel by Laura Esquivel, with a cult-like following of romantics and foodies making it the highest grossing Spanish-language film ever released in the United States. The romantic fable from Mexico centers on a young woman who discovers that her cooking has magical effects. The original film will be shown at the Tech Museum along with a chocolate tasting, and on a separate evening, a multi-course dinner at the Fairmont San Jose. Diners will indulge on an incredible menu of Mexican cuisine based on the book with special guest Grammy award winning artist, Lila Downs who is currently working on a musical adaptation of Like Water for Chocolate for Broadway.
Additional events will examine the end of the Maya Calendar phenomenon with world-renowned experts of Maya spirituality, astronomy, language, culture, science and philosophy. The Tech Museum will host “Maya Calendar Revealed” event which will feature the documentary 2012: The Beginning by Shannon Kring Bruset along with a panel of experts including Dr. Isabel Hawkins, an astronomer and Maya expert from the Exploratorium and Doña María Ávila Vera, a Maya elder from the Yucatán, Mexico and Dr. Jean Molesky-Poz author of Contemporary Maya Spirituality: The Ancient Ways Are Not Lost. One special guest, Tata José Soc Chivalán, a Maya spiritual leader, will be traveling for the first time not just outside his country of Guatemala but also outside of his village. “The Maya Empire Feast” will take place at the Fairmont San Jose and will feature indigenous foods of the Maya exploring the rich abundance of fruits, meats and vegetables native to the Yucatán region of Mexico prior to the Spanish Conquistadors arrival in the Americas. The event has been billed as a “dining experience for the most adventurous foodies” and is rumored to have an iguana course.
CasaQ’s Cine y Cena events will also include an evening with award-winning producer/writer Rick Najera best known for his work with In Living Color, MadTV, Latinologues and Nothing Like the Holidays who will give guests a behind the scenes look at his latest film offering Taco Shop. This comedy centered on a young man nicknamed Smokes, played by Tyler Posey of Teen Wolf fame, quits his taco shop job to open his own shop across the street and ends up finding himself in an all-out war when a gourmet taco truck parks across the street. There will of course be dueling taco trucks to start off the evening.
“I am excited to create and be a part of these once-in-a-lifetime experiences,” said Darlene Tenes, CasaQ founder, “and am fortunate to have the opportunity to bring together such an array of interesting people to share their knowledge, talents and gifts with others.”
CasaQ events for ¡VivaFest! range in price from $5 to $250 per person, and will be take place between September 8 through 30, 2012 at the Fairmont San Jose, Tech Museum and other locations in San Jose, CA.
Reservations and more information for CasaQ’s exclusive events for VivaFest can be found at http://www.casaqevents.com
# # #
About CasaQ
CasaQ is a San Jose-based Hispanic lifestyle company, founded in 2005 by Darlene Tenes that is dedicated to providing unique products, services and content geared toward people who embrace the Latino culture. Ms. Tenes is renowned for planning festive and creative Hispanic events, which incorporate the traditions and customs of Spain, Mexico and Latin America. www.casaq.com
About the Mexican Heritage Corporation: Now in its 21th year, VivaFest! is Northern California’s leading Latino cultural destination event. With a mission to affirm, celebrate and preserve the rich cultural heritage of the Mexican community and showcase multicultural arts within the region and nationally, MHC both presents and produces a vibrant array of multi-disciplinary arts programs in theatre, dance, and music education and in the visual arts. Visit www.mhcviva.org or www.vivafest.org.
Saturday, August 18, 2012
TechXploration: Unlearn How Things Work
TechEploration is a meetup group that plugs you into the latest conversations about emerging tech, trends, and issues with the industry's top thought leaders. They also offer food, music, and networking opportunities along with their events. For more info on their latest event, just continue reading or head over to their webpage over here.
Jay Silver will join us to launch the "invention kit for everyone": MaKey MaKey!
RSVP now to reserve your spot!
Food and Craft Beer @ 6:47 PM
Presentation, Demos and Q&A @ 7:19 PM
Brought to life by an over 2,000% funded Kickstarter campaign, MaKey MaKey is "an invention kit for the 21st century. Turn everyday objects into touchpads and combine them with the internet. It's a simple Invention Kit for Beginners and Experts doing art, engineering, and everything in between."
Wait, I'm a TechXplorer so I need more technical info than that...* (see below)
Ever played Mario on Play-Doh or Piano on Bananas? Alligator clip the Internet to your world and start inventing the future.
About Jay Silver:
- Creator of Drawdio, Singing Fingers, Scratch and MaKey MaKey!
- Maker Research Scientist, Intel
- PhD student, MIT Media Lab
Come Xplore:
- How the Maker Movement is transforming the prototyping of interactive systems
- What Intel and others are doing to support and learn from the Maker Movement
- Why you shouldn't (but could!) use your cat as a game controller =)
*MaKey MaKey is...
MaKey MaKey is a printed circuit board with an ATMega32u4 microcontroller running Arduino Leonardo firmware. It uses the Human Interface Device (HID) protocol to communicate with your computer, and it can send keypresses, mouse clicks, and mouse movements. For sensing closed switches on the digital input pins, we use high resistance switching to make it so you can close a switch even through materials like your skin, leaves, and play-doh. We use a pull-up resistor of 10-50 mega ohms. This technique attracts noise on the input, so we use a moving window averager to lowpass the noise in software, saving money on hardware filtering. There are six inputs on the front of the board, which can be attached to via alligator clipping, soldering to the pads, or any other method you can think of. There are another 12 inputs on the back, 6 for keyboard keys, and 6 for mouse motion, which you can access with jumpers via the female headers. If you wish to use a different set of keys, or otherwise change the behavior of your MaKey MaKey, you can simply reprogram it using the Arduino environment. By cutting a trace on the back of the board, you can disconnect the large pull-up resistors if you want to, which would be necessary in a small minority of Arduino projects. more info here.
Friday, August 17, 2012
Assyrian Food Festival Aug 18-19
There are a myriad of ethnic festivals in San Jose, but this is one I have never heard of before. This weekend in Willow Glen the Assyrian Food Festival kicks off. There is no entrance fee and there's even a free shuttle from Tamien Station. The food is in the Mediterranean genre with staples such as hummus, dolmas, and kebabs along with some unique cultural dishes. Sounds really interesting!
The festival will be centered around the Assyrian Church of the East on 680 Minnesota Avenue. For more festival info have a look at their website.
Source: The Merc
The festival will be centered around the Assyrian Church of the East on 680 Minnesota Avenue. For more festival info have a look at their website.
Source: The Merc
Thursday, August 16, 2012
The Screwtape Letters Comes to San Jose
Chicago, IL -THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS, the provocative and wickedly funny theatrical adaptation of the C.S. Lewis novel about spiritual warfare from a demon’s point of view, comes to San Jose for two performances only. The production will run at the San Jose Performing Arts Center, 255 Almaden Boulevard, Saturday, September 22 at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.
The National Tour ofTHE SCREWTAPE LETTERS kicked off after a hit nine-month run at the Westside Theatre in New York City where it entertained 50,000 theatergoers. Prior to that,THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS was a sold out hit in Chicago and Washington D. C. where it ran for a combined eight months.
Now in its second smash year,THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS’ National Tour has delighted capacity audiences in 50 major cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta, Boston, Salt Lake City, Orlando, Seattle, Dallas and Houston. Over 200,000 have seen this production on tour, which continues to attract a national following.
Associated Press callsTHE SCREWTAPE LETTERS “Devilishly funny!” The Chicago Sun-Times hails the productionas “Smart, sizzling entertainment!;” The Boston Globe raves that it is“Engrossing and Entertaining!” andThe Chicago Tribune says THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS is “Very smart...richly rewarding...exuberant theatricality!”
THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS creates a topsy-turvy morally inverted universe set in an eerily stylish office in hell, where God is called the “Enemy” and the devil is referred to as “Our Father below.” The play follows His Abysmal Sublimity Screwtape, Satan’s top psychiatrist (due to his profound understanding of human nature), and his slavish creature-demon Toadpipe, as they train an apprentice demon, Wormwood, on how to ruin the life and damn the soul of an unsuspecting human on earth. Screwtape is played by award-winning actor Max McLean.
Along withThe Chronicles of Narnia (includingThe Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe),The Great Divorce andMere Christianity, THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS is still one of Lewis’ most popular and influential works. The book's piercing insight into human nature and the lucid and humorous way Lewis makes his readers squirm in self-recognition made it an immediate success. When first published in 1942 it brought worldwide fame to this little-known Oxford don including the cover ofTime Magazine.
The idea for Screwtapefirst came to Lewis after listening to Hitler’s Reichstag Speech on July 19, 1940, while it was simultaneously translated on BBC Radio. Lewis wrote“I don’t know if I’m weaker than other people, but it is a positive revelation to me how while the speech lasts it is impossible not to waver just a little… Statements which I know to be untrue all but convince me…if only the man says them unflinchingly.”
Lewisdedicated it to his close friend J. R. R. Tolkien who had expressed to Lewis that delving too deeply into the craft of evil would have consequences. Lewis admitted as much when he wrote “Though I had never written anything more easily, I never wrote with less enjoyment . . . though it was easy to twist one’s mind into the diabolical attitude, it was not fun, or not for long. The work into which I had to project myself while I spoke through Screwtape was all dust, grit, thirst, and itch. Every trace of beauty, freshness, and geniality had to be excluded.”
THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS is produced by New York City based Fellowship for the Performing Arts. Max McLean serves as Artistic Director. Executive Producer and General Manager is Ken Denison of Aruba Productions. Scenic Design is by Cameron Anderson, Costumes by Michael Bevins, Lighting Design by Jesse Klug, and Original Music and Sound Design by John Gromada.
The performance schedule forTHE SCREWTAPE LETTERS is Saturday, September 22 at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets are available in the following price tiers: $59, $49 and $39. There are a limited number of premium seats available for $89 and student seats for $25 (student ID required). For groups of 10 or more (including student groups) call 866.476.8707.
To purchase tickets, visitwww.ScrewtapeonStage.com,call 408.792.4111 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 5 p,m,or visit the box office at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center, 150 W San Carlos St., San Jose (in advance) or theSan Jose Performing Arts Center box office, 255 Almaden Boulevard, San Jose (day of).
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Content Magazine Pick-up Party Tomorrow
My favorite publication is having a "Pick-Up Party" over at Willow Glen's newest Gastropub, The Table. This eatery is owned by Jim Stump (A.P. Stumps & Los Gatos Brewing Co.) so my expectations are high for the food and drinks. Hop on in anytime between 6 and 8pm, pick up the best San Jose-oriented magazine on the planet, throw back a few drinks/appetizers, and hang out with the awesome staff of Content!
The address is 1110 Willow Street and the Facebook page for the event is here.
The address is 1110 Willow Street and the Facebook page for the event is here.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Corazon Flamenco at Santa Clara University!
Arte Flamenco de San Jose is throwing their annual flamenco show next week in Santa Clara University's Mayer Theater. Past performances have been stellar and this is definitely something worth adding to your calendar. Next week's event is also the sole source of funding for this nonprofit organization, so the proceeds are going to a great cause! Full info below:
Can't make it to Seville Spain this year for the Flamenco Bienal? Come to Santa Clara to fill your soul with flamenco music, song and dance!
Arte Flamenco de San José, a non-profit organization since 1992, provides an opportunity for student dancers, semi-professionals, and professionals to exhibit their talents in our annual show, "Corazon Flamenco" - The Heart of Flamenco, on Sunday, August 26, 2012 at 3:00pm at the Louis B. Mayer Theatre at Santa Clara University. Call 408-280-5332 for tickets, $20 General Seating or $25 for Limited Reserved Seating.
Join us, as we bring to you a little bit of Spain, on a Sunday afternoon with a beautiful concert of Flamenco guitar, song and dance with colorful traditional costumes and choreography. The concert features professionals and the students of Arte Flamenco de San José and stars Carola Zertuche, singers Roberto Zamora and Regina Elmore will be accompanied by guitarists David Gutierrez and El Espigote.
Can't make it to Seville Spain this year for the Flamenco Bienal? Come to Santa Clara to fill your soul with flamenco music, song and dance!
Arte Flamenco de San José, a non-profit organization since 1992, provides an opportunity for student dancers, semi-professionals, and professionals to exhibit their talents in our annual show, "Corazon Flamenco" - The Heart of Flamenco, on Sunday, August 26, 2012 at 3:00pm at the Louis B. Mayer Theatre at Santa Clara University. Call 408-280-5332 for tickets, $20 General Seating or $25 for Limited Reserved Seating.
Join us, as we bring to you a little bit of Spain, on a Sunday afternoon with a beautiful concert of Flamenco guitar, song and dance with colorful traditional costumes and choreography. The concert features professionals and the students of Arte Flamenco de San José and stars Carola Zertuche, singers Roberto Zamora and Regina Elmore will be accompanied by guitarists David Gutierrez and El Espigote.
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