Hope you all have a happy and safe Halloween!
If you are still looking for ideas on where to go today, check out our full guide right over here.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Lavazza Espression Opens Today in Santana Row
Today Santana Row will get yet another premier attraction. The very first Lavazza Espression on the West Coast is opening in the 300 Building right around the corner from The Yard House. Lavazza is the most popular coffee brand in Italy and this cafe will likely blow the doors off of Starbucks in terms of quality. They will also feature fresh food with locally sourced organic ingredients, desserts made in house, and gelato.
To top it off, the cafe opens early and stays open until late. The hours are 6am-10pm Sunday through Thursday and 6am-midnight on Friday and Saturday.
For more information, check out the press release below.
San Jose, CA (Oct. 25, 2012) - When is a cup of coffee not merely a cup of coffee? When it’s Lavazza, Italy’s best-known coffee brand. Lavazza is famed not only for quality and innovation, but also for its integration with high fashion, sleek design and contemporary cuisine, including its collaboration with revolutionary Chef Ferran Adrià, the pioneer of molecular gastronomy.
It’s only fitting then that the first Lavazza Espression café on the West Coast opens on Tuesday, Oct. 30 in the heart of tech-driven Silicon Valley: Santana Row. Additional locations are planned in San Francisco, the East Bay, North Bay and on the Peninsula.
The 2,200 square foot café, with 35 seats in the restaurant and 32 on the patio, will introduce a unique taste of Italian culture, where coffee is not just a beverage, but a celebrated way of life.
“Lavazza is creative in every sense of the word,’’ says Erich Fleshman of Espression Coffee West, the Bay Area franchisee. “The Bay Area has a very sophisticated pallet for coffee and Lavazza Espression completes the full experience.’’
The company was established in 1895 when founder Luigi Lavazza opened a small grocery store in Turin that later began specializing in roasting and selling coffee. Family-owned for four generations, the company’s coffee is now available in more than 90 countries. It is the most recognized coffee brand in Italy and familiar to anyone who has traveled through Europe.
With stunning artwork by some of the world’s most acclaimed fashion photographers, including Helmut Newton and Annie Leibovitz, the café has a contemporary, European feel with furnishings from Italy. With its comfortable, modern décor and free Wi-Fi, Lavazza Espression invites visitors to linger when they don’t need to grab and go.
Lavazza coffee can be enjoyed through classic preparations such as espresso and drip, along with more creative riffs such as a “Monterosa’’ (a custard and berry compote with an espresso shot and whipped cream), the signature Èspesso™ (Adrià’s ingenious liquid-to-solid coffee creation served playfully with a spoon that sports a hole in it) and the Èspessone™ (light foam, with a soft and velvety texture in combination with an intense aroma of the espresso).
Other offerings include velvety thick Italian hot chocolate, Espresso Shakerato served in a chilled martini glass and blended coffee drinks such as the Blendissimo® (a cool blend of espresso, vanilla gelato and caramel, topped off with whipped cream).
With a nod to California sensibilities, the menu will include gluten-free choices and incorporates as many locally-sourced and organic ingredients as possible with items such as “Chicken and Mushroom Tramezzino,’’ “Salmon Caprese” and “Fruit and Parmesan Salad’’ with passion fruit vinaigrette. Desserts will be made in-house and gelato is provided from a local artisan to Lavazza’s specifications. Coffee drinks will be priced from $2-$4; salads and sandwiches from $5-$10.
Appealing to the Bay Area’s inclination to embrace social responsibility is Lavazza’s ¡Tierra! Project, started in 2002 and certified by The Rain Forest Alliance. Lavazza set up its ¡Tierra! Project in coffee growing countries with the aim of improving the living and working conditions of local communities by providing training and technical support. The initiative combines productivity with social responsibility and attains excellent results not only within the targeted regions, but also in terms of product quality.
Lavazza and Fashion 4 Development, a United Nations partner organization which uses fashion to develop strategies for female self-empowerment, have teamed to unveil the Lavazza ¡Tierra! limited edition tins designed by internationally acclaimed designers Marni, Roberto Cavalli, Missoni, Etro, Versace, and Moschino. The tins contain a blend of coffee made from 100% sustainable crops and a large part of the proceeds will be donated to Fashion 4 Development’s efforts in Africa, India and South Africa. The tins will be available for purchase for a limited time at Santana Row’s new Lavazza Espression location.
Lavazza Espression, 300 Santana Row, Suite 110, 408.261-1830 Hours: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sun.-Thurs.; 6 a.m. to midnight, Fri. and Sat.
Monday, October 29, 2012
21-Story Residential High-Rise Will Break Ground in Downtown San Jose!!!
This is news I have been eagerly anticipating for years. Finally, there will be cranes in the air and the next generation of residential towers will rise Downtown!
KT Properties (Axis) and Essex Property Trust have filed a site permit for 285 apartment units in a quarter million sqft, 21 floor tower. There will be 6,000 sqft of retail on the ground floor and potentially more on the second floor. Amenities include a swimming pool and Jacuzzi on the 4th floor, a fitness room, community kitchen, and terraces on the 4th and 17th floors. The building will have 420 parking spaces, half of which will be underground.
Location wise, it could not be more central in Downtown. The tower will be on the corner of Santa Clara Street and Market Street, right across from San Pedro Square, 5-7 minutes from the HP Pavilion and Diridon Station, and a couple blocks away from Plaza de Cesar Chavez. The future BART station will be no more than a few blocks away. This is an uber-prime location that has been a parking lot for way too long. The impact will be dramatic.
If our rental market continues to stay hot over the next two years, you can expect the entire building to be leased within 3 months of opening. We all saw what the last 4 residential towers did for Downtown, imagine what these next ones will do. And yes, I did say ones with an s.
Barry Swenson Builder is also working on a 21-story tower of their own called The Carlysle. This building will be across the street from the San Pedro Square Market and be even larger at 347 units. In fact, I just saw an advertisement last week from Barry Swenson that featured the Carlysle with the caption "First downtown San Jose tower out of the ground since the great recession." They haven't filed their site permit yet, but that quote is definitely a good sign that it is going to happen soon.
As soon as either of these break ground, we'll have to have a celebratory meet-up at The SPSM.
Sources: SJBJ, The Registry
KT Properties (Axis) and Essex Property Trust have filed a site permit for 285 apartment units in a quarter million sqft, 21 floor tower. There will be 6,000 sqft of retail on the ground floor and potentially more on the second floor. Amenities include a swimming pool and Jacuzzi on the 4th floor, a fitness room, community kitchen, and terraces on the 4th and 17th floors. The building will have 420 parking spaces, half of which will be underground.
Location wise, it could not be more central in Downtown. The tower will be on the corner of Santa Clara Street and Market Street, right across from San Pedro Square, 5-7 minutes from the HP Pavilion and Diridon Station, and a couple blocks away from Plaza de Cesar Chavez. The future BART station will be no more than a few blocks away. This is an uber-prime location that has been a parking lot for way too long. The impact will be dramatic.
If our rental market continues to stay hot over the next two years, you can expect the entire building to be leased within 3 months of opening. We all saw what the last 4 residential towers did for Downtown, imagine what these next ones will do. And yes, I did say ones with an s.
Barry Swenson Builder is also working on a 21-story tower of their own called The Carlysle. This building will be across the street from the San Pedro Square Market and be even larger at 347 units. In fact, I just saw an advertisement last week from Barry Swenson that featured the Carlysle with the caption "First downtown San Jose tower out of the ground since the great recession." They haven't filed their site permit yet, but that quote is definitely a good sign that it is going to happen soon.
As soon as either of these break ground, we'll have to have a celebratory meet-up at The SPSM.
Sources: SJBJ, The Registry
Sunday, October 28, 2012
San Jose's SoloPower Holdings Raises $12M
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Saturday Stats: Best Cities to Trick or Treat
Zillow's ranking of the top cities for Trick-or-Treaters has been updated with 2012 results, and San Jose fared pretty well. These results are based on four equally weighted factors: the Zillow Home Value Index, Walk Score, population density, and crime data. For 2012, San Jose ranked a respectable 5th place. This is up one level from 2011 where we ranked 6th. If the criteria remain the same next year, I think we'll continue to do quite well.
Zillow also released the rankings for the top 5 Trick-or-Treating neighborhoods in San Jose:
Zillow also released the rankings for the top 5 Trick-or-Treating neighborhoods in San Jose:
- Cambrian
- Rose Garden
- Willow Glen
- Santa Teresa
- Evergreen Valley
Friday, October 26, 2012
Variations Exhibit at The Usuals
from Phantom Galleries
Variations
New Works by James Vidal and Junior Sanchez
Opening Reception
Friday, October 26, 2012, 7–10pm
Music by DJ Basura
On view through November 19, 2012
The Usuals
1020 The Alameda
San Jose, CA 95126
Halloween Fundraiser @ Loft Bar & Bistro
The Asian American Donor Program (AADP) is a non-profit that helps blood cancer patients find marrow donors. The event below will raise money for adding additional donors (it costs $100 to register a single donor).
There will be free treats, appetizers, and a raffle. The event starts at 6pm and tickets cost $20 per person. For more information check out the Facebook event page over here.
There will be free treats, appetizers, and a raffle. The event starts at 6pm and tickets cost $20 per person. For more information check out the Facebook event page over here.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Axis Howl-O-Ween Event
If you have ever wondered what it would be like to live with a pet in Downtown San Jose, this may be the event for you. You will be able to tour the Axis residential high-rise with man's best friend, learn which services such as dog walking and training are available locally, and then explore Downtown with your companion. There's even a Doggie costume contest. To participate, just head over to 38 N. Almaden Boulevard on Saturday, October 27th between 11am and 1pm. More details below.
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