San Jose Named Best-Performing City of 2012

Typically I would save a stat post like this for Saturdays, but this one is so good that I had to make it a Monday post. The Milken Institute has named San Jose the best performing city of 2012. This is based on increased job growth, increases in salaries and wages, and GDP/productivity growth. Last year San Jose was ranked #51 on the list, so the improvement has been dramatic.

San Francisco is #36 on the list and New York is at #11. For those who misguidedly think tech is migrating up north, high tech GDP per capita is over 220% higher in San Jose than it is in SF (and that's including San Mateo, Redwood City, Menlo Park, etc as part of SF).

Source: Milken Institute

California Art Education Association Offers Bay Area Youth Art Month Exhibition Hosted by History San José

San José, California – January 2, 2013

 

History San José will again host a Bay Area Youth Art Month Exhibition in conjunction with the California Art Education Association (CAEA) opening in the David and Leonard McKay Gallery at the Pasetta House at History Park on March 2.

 

“We are really pleased to host this wonderful exhibit of local children’s art; one day one of these artists may be included in our permanent collection! ” said Alida Bray, President and CEO of  History San José (HSJ). “Our inspiration is Leonard McKay, for whom the gallery is named. He would be very proud of the local youth, as he loved to promote emerging, local artists.”

 

Youth Art Month is a nationally recognized observance each March to emphasize the value of art education for all children, and to encourage support for quality school art programs. Supported by the National Art Education Association and in California by the California Art Education Association, the Northern Area chapter will hold the exhibition featuring some of the best art by Bay Area students, Kindergarten through Grade 12.

 

“The Northern Area of California Art Education Association is honored to bring for the second year in a row to History Park, some excellent two-dimensional and three-dimensional art for exhibition,” said Barbara Purdy, Art Department Head at Presentation High School, and chapter event organizer.

 

The curated youth art show is open to all California Arts Education Association members.  Membership is only $50. The exhibit will include awards for art in four grade-level categories: Kindergarten through second grade, third through fifth grades, sixth through eighth grades and and high school grades nine through twelve.  Awards will be given in each category at a Sunday, March 2 afternoon reception from 1 PM to 3 PM at the Leonard and David McKay Gallery at the Pasetta House in History Park.

 

Sargent Art will award prizes to teachers of the first place winners in each category. The student winner from each Area exhibition advances to the state level and one of these students, along with a parent and their teacher, will be awarded a trip to New York through the suppoert of Sargent Art.

 

The exhibition will open on Saturday March 2 at the Leonard & David McKay Gallery at the Pasetta House in History Park in Kelley Park, located at 1620 Senter Road, between Phelan and Keyes Avenues. For GPS mapping use 635 Phelan Avenue. City parking is available for $6.  The Gallery is open Saturday & Sunday, admission is free through May 1, 2013.

 

For more information visit historysanjose.org or call 408 287 2290. The Galleries at History Park are open to the public Tuesdays through Sundays, 11 AM to 5 PM, and the Museum Shop and O’Brien’s Ice Cream Parlor are open 11 AM to 4 PM.

 

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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

 

Website:  historysanjose.org

Blog: historysanjose.org/blog

Facebook: /historysanjose

Twitter: @historysanjose

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History Park at Kelley Park is located at 1650 Senter Road, between Phelan & Keyes in San Jose. For GPS mapping use 635 Phelan Avenue. City parking is available for $6.  For more information visit historysanjose.org or call 408 287 2290.

Pamper Your Loved Ones for Valentine’s Day with the Gift of Relaxation From Burke Williams

[California] – Burke Williams is pleased to announce three relaxing spa packages to pamper the ones you love this Valentine’s Day. Each exclusive package, “Romance,” “True Love,” and “For Two” offers a unique combination of soothing treatments and services to create the perfect way to experience romance this holiday.

Indulge in “Romance” with a Spa Pedicure and choice of a 50-minute Pure Relaxation massage with enhancement or a 50-minute Spa Style Facial with a peel or brightener starting at $149 ($180 value). Fall in “True Love” with the Spa Pedicure, a 50-minute Pure Relaxation massage with enhancement and a 50-minute Spa Style Facial with peel or brightener, all starting for just $249 ($310 value). Share in a day of relaxation “For Two” and enjoy a couple’s luxurious 80-minute Pure Relaxation massage with enhancements or Spa Style Facials with peels for an exclusive Valentine’s rate starting at $279 ($360 value).      

Valentine’s Day package specials are available beginning January 25 through February 14 and vary per spa location. Join us at a Burke Williams spa location near you or online at www.burkewilliamsspa.com for gift cards and reservations by location. Let Burke Williams take your love into the spa and beyond this Valentine’s Day.

2013 Valentine’s Day Packages

Offered at Burke Williams Orange, Torrance, Santa Monica, San Jose, Pasadena and Sherman Oaks

Romance: Just $149 (regular price $180)

Enjoy a Spa Pedicure with your choice of a 50-minute Pure Relaxation massage with enhancement -or- a 50-minute Spa Style Facial with peel or brightener.

True Love: Just $249 (regular price $310)

Indulge in a Spa Pedicure with a 50-minute Pure Relaxation massage with enhancement -and- a 50-minute Spa Style Facial with peel or brightener.

For Two: Just $279 (regular price $360)

Each of you will enjoy a luxurious 80-minute Pure Relaxation massage with enhancements or Spa Style Facials with peels.

Offered at Burke Williams, San Francisco

Romance: Just $159 (regular price $205)

Enjoy a Spa Pedicure with your choice of a 50-minute Pure Relaxation massage with enhancement -or- a 50-minute Spa Style Facial with peel.

True Love: Just $259 (regular price $340)

Indulge in a Spa Pedicure with a 50-minute Pure Relaxation massage with enhancement -and- a 50-minute Spa Style Facial with peel.

For Two: Just $299 (regular price $400)

Each of you will enjoy a luxurious 80-minute Pure Relaxation massage with enhancement or Spa Style Facial with peel.

Offered at Burke Williams, Mission Viejo and West Hollywood

Romance: Just $159 (regular price $205)

Enjoy a 25-minute Salt or Sugar Glo with your choice of a 50-minute Pure Relaxation massage with enhancement -or- a 50-minute Spa Style Facial with peel or brightener.

True Love: Just $259 (regular price $335)

Indulge in a 25-minute Salt or Sugar Glo with a 50-minute Pure Relaxation massage with enhancement -and- a 50-minute Spa Style Facial with peel or brightener.

For Two: Just $279 (regular price $360)

Each of you will enjoy a luxurious 80-minute Pure Relaxation massage with enhancement or Spa Style Facial with peel or brightener.

# # # #

Burke Williams

For nearly 30 years Burke Williams spa has been committed to creating an environment of refinement that inspires and provides its guest with a luxurious sanctuary to unwind. With nine locations across Northern and Southern California, relaxation awaits with each of our European-inspired treatments including massage therapy, body wraps, facials, manicures, pedicures, baths, and an array of signature spa services.

San Jose Ranks in World's Fastest Growing Economies

A report has ranked the 60 fastest growing city economies in the world. This includes all of the rapidly growing cities in China (which dominated the list with 34 cities), the Middle East, and Latin America. Only four cities in all of North America made the cut and San Jose was one of them at #46. In fact, only one other North American city surpassed San Jose, and that was Houston at 40th place.

Factors attributed to San Jose's ranking include increases in GDP per capita, employment, and population.

Source: SVBJ

Downtown Whole Foods Design Update

Happy Friday! On Tuesday we feasted on a substantial improvement in the design of One South Market. Well, today we have another treat for you to bookend the week. The design has been updated for the new Whole Foods coming to the border of The Alameda and Downtown San Jose in 2014. It looks like they incorporated quite a bit of feedback when it comes to making the building more engaging for people walking by. Here are some of the changes that I noticed:

• Outdoor patio seating on the ground floor corner. This is in addition to the covered outdoor seating on the second floor (where the roof has been raised in this latest design). By the way, this building is going to host the first craft brewery to be built into a Whole Foods.
• New vertical sign at the corner.
• More colorful facade with more windows.
• Huge dormer windows on the roof of the Alameda side.

I can't wait until this opens!

Hat tip to C.L.

Source: Shasta Hanchett Park Neighborhood Association Facebook Page

Old Design







New Design

Bestronics Expansion

In the middle of all the fervor over software companies in Silicon Valley these days, it's easy to forget that San Jose has a significant manufacturing base and it's still growing. The International Business Park in San Jose has a staggering 8 million sqft or so worth of manufacturing facilities, and vacancy has dropped from 25% to around 10%.

Bestronics is a contract manufacturer in that area that provides engineering, testing, and material management services. They are taking a leap of faith and expanding from 25,000 sqft on Ringwood Avenue to 71,570 sqft at 2090 Fortune Drive. The additional space is going to let them add a second shift, take on a lot more work, and expand testing capabilities. It's great to see these types of companies continue to thrive in San Jose despite intense competition overseas.

For more info just check out the link below.

Source: SVBJ

Wednesday Wishlist: Year Round Snowboarding in San Jose?

Once in a while, there are still some proposals that surprise me... and this is one of them. How would you feel about being able to ski and snowboard at anytime during the year... IN SAN JOSE? Well, apparently there is an organization that is trying to do just that. Right now they are trying to collect enough signatures to get the City's attention in building an outdoor snow park at Lake Cunningham near Raging Waters. You can sign the petition at SJsnow.com. Also check out their Facebook page over here.

Source: Think Bigger San Jose

New One South Market Rendering!!!

It looks like One South Market has updated their renders and decided not to tell anyone yet. They slapped a new photo at the future building site itself, but I can't find any info about this online.

Hat tip to Bobby G. for sending in photos of the new render, this really made my night.

Secondary hat tip for everyone that showed up at the info meeting to complain about the "version 2" design (special mention to Mark from Think Bigger San Jose who created a petition). Obviously we are all happy to get any new high-rise building Downtown, but it's safe to say the general consensus was disappointment at the bland and generic redesign for a building that will anchor a key intersection in the very heart of Downtown.

Guys, I think you're going to be pretty satisfied with this latest render. The "version 3" redesign looks markedly better than version 2, and even rivals version 1. They went from a monotone grid, to a dynamic design incorporating multiple hues, offset windows, and a terrace facing Santa Clara Street. Check out that green/teal line that runs vertically up the Market Street side of the building and then wraps around the corner. Huge improvement!

I also added the older renders for comparison. So what do you guys think of version 3?

VERSION 1 (Original render, they were condos at this point)

VERSION 2 (Redesign that everyone hated)

VERSION 3 (Latest Revision)