"Scary Night at the Winchester Mystery House"

Twelfth Annual Antique Autos at History Park in San José, Sunday, September 9, Noon to 5 PM

San José, California – July 17, 2012---Everyone loves a good road trip and with the popularity of ‘stay’cations, the Twelfth Annual Antique Autos in History Park, Sunday, September 9, noon to 5 PM, will highlight the proverbial roadtrip.

“Antique Autos is one of the most anticipated end-of-summer events at History Park,” said Alida Bray, President and CEO of History San José. “The park comes alive with people, activities…sort of like a little Sunday afternoon vacation.”

Featured this year are two presentations by Roger Allison, whose 1903 Winton was used in Ken Burns film Horatio’s Drive. The PBS special documents ‘America’s first road trip,’ the 1903 trans-continental drive by Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson, his co-driver/mechanic Sewall K. Crocker and their bulldog named Bud. In their 20-horsepower Winton, with few paved roads and no gas stations or road maps, Horatio’s drive was the trip that proved the automobile was here to stay. Allison’s presentations will be at 1 PM and 2 PM in the conference room of the Pacific Hotel.

The featured vehicles this year are 1- and 2-cylinder antique autos.  By popular request, a team of Model T club members will attempt to break their previous record of assembling a Model T in eight minutes and six seconds.

Presented by the Santa Clara Valley Model T Ford Club and History San José, the Twelfth Annual Antique Autos in History Park event will fill History Park at Kelley Park in San José with more than 200 antique autos. On Sunday, September 9, hear the ‘putt, putt’of an antique car engine, fire equipment, bicycles and motorcycles of all makes, while strolling through the idyllic setting of History Park.

“Antique Autos in History Park is much more than an antique car show,” said Allan Greenberg, coordinator of the event.  “We attempt to combine the best of all things automotive, with cars, culture, entertainment and education in the beautiful setting of History Park.”

Also located on the grounds of History Park will be the Early Day Gas Engine and Tractor Association to provide more ‘putt, putt, putt’ engine sounds reminiscent of days gone by. The Zinfandel Stompers will provide Dixie-land music from 1 PM to 3 PM.

Portraits of the Past members stroll through the 14-acre site in 1900s costumes. Other activities include free trolley rides. Arts and crafts demonstrations and antique collectibles will be on display. Family and children’s activities will be provided.

Food and beverages will be available for purchase from Peggy Sue’s Restaurant and get an ice cream at O’Brien’s Ice Cream Parlor.

Also at History Park at Kelley Park, 1650 Senter Road between Keyes and Phelan, docents will guide visitors through many of the 27 historic buildings.  The exhibit “Through My Father’s Eyes” will be on display in the Pacific Hotel Gallery. The Leonard and David McKay Gallery will feature “Celebrating Local Artists.”

Admission is free and sponsored by the Santa Clara Valley Model T Ford Club. Parking is $6.  For more information about the event contact Allan Greenberg at allang@pacbell.net or call 408 997 0879.

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About History San José:
History San José is a non-profit organization that collects, preserves and celebrates the stories of diversity and innovation in San José and the Santa Clara Valley. HSJ manages one of the largest and most comprehensive regional history collections in the State of California, from 1784 Spanish governmental records to twenty-first century Silicon Valley technology.
History San José     1650 Senter Road     San José, CA  95112       408.287.2290
www.historysanjose.org

Soladigm Raises $55M

Soladigm manufactures energy efficient "Dynamic Glass" for buildings. The dynamic part means their glass can go from clear to dark on demand and reduce HVAC energy consumption by 25-30%. This latest round (Series D) brings their total funding to $125M.

Source: SJBJ

Color Me Rad - Sep 1st @ Santa Clara County Fairgrounds

Now this isn't your everyday 5k run! This Saturday at the Fairgrounds, runners are going to be "color bombed" every 5 minutes, similar to what happens in the Indian festival of Holi (wiki it). For those of you wondering what being color bombed means, the video below will explain everything. If you're interested, click here for more info.

Icrebreaker Opens Today in Santana Row

WHAT:         Icebreaker, the New Zealand company that pioneered the merino wool adventure apparel category, today announced it will open on Santana Row on Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2012.

Peninsula and South Bay fitness enthusiasts, from runners to cyclists to yogis, will rejoice in a new 1,500 sq. ft. TouchLab store.

Wool may not be the typical fabric choice for Bay Area dwellers, but Icebreaker apparel is not made from any ordinary sheep. Handpicked from New Zealand merinos based in the Southern Alps, enduring temperatures between -4 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter and 95 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer, Icebreaker apparel offers unique insulating and cooling properties in a luxuriously soft format that won't irritate the skin.

The San Jose TouchLab store will feature Icebreaker's complete line of pure merino wool apparel, including its Outdoor, Running, Travel, Kids, Underwear and City collections and Socks and Accessories, all made from handpicked merino wool born in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. To celebrate the opening, Icebreaker will reveal its new Fall 2012 line.

WHERE:       356 Santana Row
  San Jose, CA 95128

HOURS:    Monday through Thursday, 10 am to 9 pm
Friday and Saturday, 10 am to 10 pm
Sunday, 11 am to 6 pm

ABOUT:        Launched in 1994, Icebreaker was the first company in the world to develop a merino wool layering system for the outdoors. It was also the first outdoor apparel company in the world to source merino directly from growers, a system it began in 1997. Icebreaker merino clothing for the outdoors, technical sports and lifestyle includes underwear, mid layer garments, outerwear, socks and accessories for men, women and children. Icebreaker is based in Wellington, New Zealand, and is sold in more than 3000 stores in 43 countries.

                   Icebreaker opened its first California TouchLab store in San Francisco in November 2011. The company has three other US TouchLabs: one in Portland, Oregon (home of its US headquarters), and two in New York City – Soho and the Meatpacking District. In Canada, there are TouchLabs in Vancouver, British Columbia, and in Montréal, Canada.

See icebreaker.com for more information about Icebreaker, and jeremymoon.me for more information on Icebreaker founder and CEO Jeremy Moon.

Two New Bike Corridors

Last week the city council approved two brand new bike corridors, Hedding Street and Ocala Avenue. Over 20 people spoke in favor of the new bike lanes at the meeting and the vote was near unanimous. This comes at a good time as a new bike sharing/rental program is coming to San Jose by the end of the year.

Source: One Square Mile

Hedding Street by Richard Masoner / Cycleicious

All Nippon Airways (ANA) Officially Adds San Jose-Tokyo Route!

Well, it's finally official. Come January 11th of next year, San Jose International will have a direct flight to Narita International in Tokyo. To top it off, the plane used is going to be a Boeing 787, a brand new aircraft with incredible amenities and comfort in all classes.

There will be 5 round trip flights each week (no flights on Tues and Thurs). The San Jose flight will depart at 11:45am and arrive in Tokyo at 4:10pm. The Tokyo flight will leave at 4:35pm and arrive at 10:10am the next day in San Jose.

I'm hoping for a fare sale to launch the new route and that many more international flights will be coming to SJC!

Source: SJBJ

SquareCrow’s Ball at History Park Benefits History San José and Second Harvest Food Bank

San Jose, CA – August 9, 2012

Most of us equate square dancing with the angst of grade school gym class or choosing partners. Those days are gone, and these days square dancing, as well as round dancing, is actually fun.

The Third Annual SquareCrow’s Ball will set out to prove just that on September 8 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at History Park.

This year’s SquareCrow’s Ball will also benefit both History San José and Second Harvest Food Bank. Tickets are set at an affordable $15 per person, or $10 and two canned goods, with proceeds going to both nonprofits.

“Folk dancing builds community,” said Jane Maxfield, coordinator of the SquareCrow’s Ball. “Dancing together is not as stupid as you thought it was in grade school. And you don’t need to know how to dance. You can learn everything you need by just coming to the Ball.”

The SquareCrow’s Ball will bring together music, food, dancing and a silent auction. Caller Scot Byars will provide dancers the opportunity to revel under the Light Tower at History Park.

“The SquareCrow’s Ball and dancing under the Light Tower brings a liveliness to History Park,” said Alida Bray, President and CEO of History San José. “This is a wonderful marriage of History Park with historic music and cultural heritage. And we are honored to share that stage with Second Harvest Food Bank.”

Live music by Fiddle Road will demonstrate a diverse musical repertoire  of a colorful blend of Celtic, bluegrass, Cajun and Ol' Timey songs expressed joyfully through guitar, fiddle, mandolin, five-string and tenor banjos, stand up bass and ukulele.

Pies will be offered by Coco’s Bakery Restaurant of Sunnyvale, coffee from Red Rock, and of course, San Jose’s own Treat Ice Cream is available in O’Brien’s Café in the Pacific Hotel at History Park.

History Park is located at 1650 Senter Road, between Phelan and Keyes Avenues, at the south end of Kelley Park. For the purpose of GPS routing, 635 Phelan in San Jose, CA will direct to the south parking lot.

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About History San José: 

History San José is a non-profit organization that collects, preserves and celebrates the stories of diversity and innovation in San José and the Santa Clara Valley. HSJ manages one of the largest and most comprehensive regional history collections in the State of California, from 1784 Spanish governmental records to twenty-first century Silicon Valley technology. 

History San José     1650 Senter Road     San José, CA  95112       408.287.2290

www.historysanjose.org

About SquareCrow’s Ball:

In early 2010 five friends who enjoy square dancing decided to put together a square dance as an opportunity to expose others to the fun of square dancing and to give square dancers an opportunity to give back to others in their community.

The first SquareCrow’s Ball in 2010 brought together members of 14 different square dance clubs and benefited both History San Jose and the Second Harvest Food Bank.  Rich Reel – of El Camino Reelers, Sunnyvale Squares, and Western Star Dancers – was the very gracious and entertaining caller who donated his services and helped make this event such a success.  http://squarecrowsball.wordpress.com/

About Second Harvest Food Bank:

Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties is the trusted leader dedicated to ending local hunger. Since its inception in 1974, Second Harvest has become one of the largest food banks in the nation, providing food to an average of nearly one quarter of a million people each month. The Food Bank mobilizes individuals, companies and community partners to connect people to the nutritious food they need. Nearly half of the food distributed is fresh produce. Second Harvest also plays a leading role in promoting federal nutrition programs and educating families on how to make healthier food choices. Visit www.SHFB.org to get involved.