The Farmers Union is Opening June 28th!

After sitting vacant since Agave Viejo closed three years ago, the flagship retail space at the corner of San Pedro and Santa Clara is about to burst back to life as The Farmers Union. The restaurant and bar will clock in at 7,000 SQFT, have 60 beers on tap (mostly the craft brew variety), encompass two stories, and be filled with historic photos from San Jose's past. The targeted opening date is next Friday, June 28th. This is a key space to activate since it will welcome visitors to San Pedro Square and is across the street from the new One South high-rise that recently broke ground.

I've said it a dozen times, but I'll say it again... 2013 is going to be a great year for Downtown San Jose!

Source: SVBJ

TWO BUCK Tuesday Today

from Phantom Galleries by PG

Join us at KALEID Gallery for this upcoming TWO BUCK Tuesday, June 18th, 7pm-10pm!

Come enjoy an inspired evening of performances, live painting, $2 art, drop-in sketching table & quirky people get together! It’s open to all ages and free!

Here are some of of the participating artists who will be joining us this time:



Carolann Espino 
will demonstrate working with clay. Specifically she will do hands on demo to create an’ Alice in Wonderland’ Teapot.


David Canavese will be on hand working on his detailed papercraft models. Some of his drawings and detailed micro metal sculptures will also be on display!


Jesse Cupp ran away to join the circus as soon as he could! After living a life of adventure and traveling far and wide, he’s back to amaze and amuse! But just who is this mysterious man… every answer he gives seems to raise more questions. Why did he work on a goat farm? What drove him to teach English in Beijing? And where the heck is Guam? Ask him yourself at Two Buck Tuesday!

LIVE ART BY:

Felipe Jimenez


Al Preciado and friends with special guest Gary Singh



Michael Denning (http://www.facebook.com/MichaelDenningHOCArtisan)



Nic Caesar (http://www.scary-art.com/)



John Hageman (http://www.socialvermyn.com/)



Maricruz Mendoza
and Cecile F. Zapanta


LIVE MUSIC BY: Rebels Kamp

TWO BUCK Tuesday is June 18th from 7-10pm!
free & open to all ages!


88 South Fourth Street (@ San Fernando
San Jose, CA 95112

info@KALEIDGallery.com

408-947-1785
Gallery Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, noon -7pm

Free admission

The Pierce Apartment Project in SoFA!

Downtown development news is on fire lately. The Piece is a major apartment project that tops out at seven stories but has great stylistic character that changes based on what side of the building you are looking at. This is nothing like the generic apartment behemoths that are popping up everywhere in North San Jose.

The project consists of 230 units, which are split between studios, one bedroom, and two bedroom units (no three bedroom units). Amenities include a pool, spa, fitness center, and a roof deck. There is also 3,500 SQFT available for commercial space on the ground floor of the South Market Street side.

It may not be a high-rise project, but I love the design and think it will add a lot to the SoFA district. Thanks to The Pierce along with the mini-San Pedro Square Market project, you can expect to see a lot more foot-traffic in SoFA over the next couple of years.

Source: SVBJ

 

A Plug to Balance Out all the Father's Day News Today =)

A New Twist to Your Makeup Routine! Joule Face Makeup 
Styling Offers You A Personal Makeup Stylist

SAN JOSE, CALIF. – June 17, 2013
Contact: Pauline Farace, (408) 506.1378, jouleface@yahoo.com, www.jouleface.com

Yves Saint-Laurent once said, “The most beautiful makeup of a woman is passion. But cosmetics are easier to buy!” And this is certainly true now with a new offering by Pauline Farace of Joule Face, in San Jose, CA. Pauline will work with what you have in your makeup bag, will shop with you for the perfect products, and then teach you how to use them. You can have your own one-on-one makeup styling session, done in the privacy of your home or in her Studio.

"I saw the need for a more personal, hands-on approach to makeup services that wasn't available to women, and that's how Joule Face Makeup Styling came about. I love teaching the proper techniques needed for a flawless makeup look.  I’ll also take the guess work out of makeup and skincare products.  Your makeup routine will be specifically customized to your time, preference and skill level!” says owner Pauline Farace.

Bringing customized and attainable everyday beauty to you is what Joule Face is all about! We’ll teach you how to tap into your inner Joule beauty. Studio Joule, who has served a long-list of clients for 10 years, designed Joule Face with a very clear goal in mind - to allow the everyday person to access makeup lessons, no matter what their age, lifestyle, or budget. Can't wait to see what's in your makeup bag!

Schedule Online: http://www.schedulicity.com/Scheduling/Default.aspx?business=SJEALP
 "Like" us at : www.facebook.com/BrowsIngForBeautyPopUpBrowBar

Saturday Stats: San Jose is in the Top 10 Best Cities for Newlyweds List

Rent.com has proclaimed that San Jose is among the best cities for newlyweds and specifies two key metrics. The first is that 55% of households are led by married couples, the highest among the 10 cities. The second is salary. The annual mean income for San Jose is $69,000 a year, which is again the highest among the top 10. The cities were listed in no particular order, but it was pretty clear that San Jose would have very likely taken the #1 spot had it been more empirically ranked. It was also specifically called out in both the Rent.com article and the Forbes article (which also mentioned that San Jose topped the list for 10 Happiest Cities for Young Professionals).

• Houston, Texas – Rent.com says: “The fourth largest U.S. city offers a plethora of neighborhood options for newlyweds to make their own niche and find a community that works for their growing family.  Couples can take advantage of the thriving bar and brunch scenes downtown to socialize and meet other young married couples.”

• Seattle, Wash. – Rent.com says: “With an above average mean income, the highest percentage of any city on our list with children under six years old, and also having recently legalized same-sex marriage, Seattle is definitely a place for all newlyweds to check out. Newly married couples and young parents alike may enjoy browsing the Boeing Museum of Flight or checking out the Ballard Locks.”

• Dallas, Texas – Rent.com says: “The heartland of Texas pulls at the heartstrings of many newlyweds looking for a friendly town with lots of opportunity to both play and settle down.  With everything from amusement parks to pro sports teams, the town offers something for excitable young families–and with a fairly low cost of living, they will actually have the means to be able to get out and have some fun.”

• Raleigh, N.C. – Rent.com says: “Come down South if you want to enjoy the sweet, seductive life that only this unhurried region can offer.  More than 25% of children are under the age of six in Raleigh, for lots of options when it comes to finding friends for play dates and get-togethers. Get to know new families at the Marbles Kids Museum or try out the historic carousel and train at Pullen Park.”

• Washington, D.C. – Rent.com says: “The nation’s capital city offers a wide breadth of romantic opportunities for newlyweds to enjoy depending on what strikes their fancy – everything from cultural excursions (the Smithsonian), to political events, to walking through slices of history at every street corner.  With a high mean annual income, newlyweds are more likely to be able to enjoy all that the city offers.”

• San Jose, Calif. – Rent.com says: “San Jose reigns supreme in the percentage of married households with almost 55% percent of households led by married couples and the highest annual mean income available across our list at $69,000 a year.  As the largest city within Silicon Valley, it is no wonder the young and flexible set up shop for both business and a prospective family.”

• Minneapolis, Minn. – Rent.com says: “The City of Lakes is a great spot for newlyweds to settle down. With an above average mean income rate, newlyweds can take advantage of all that the city has to offer, including the romantic views off Lake Harriet or the Minnesota Fringe Festival.”

• San Diego, Calif. – Rent.com says: “The second largest city in California offers newlyweds a myriad of options for entertainment to enjoy together – everything from a bustling downtown scene to a gorgeous beach life to iconic landmarks such as the San Diego Zoo is sure to keep couples hopping. Not to mention, San Diego is close enough to many other landmarks in California for loads of mini-romantic, weekend getaways.”

• Charlotte, N.C. – Rent.com says: “Don’t let its Southern charm fool you, Charlotte is a hot-bed of activity as the second largest financial center in the U.S. after New York City in terms of assets due to the headquarters of Bank of America and the East coast operations of Wells Fargo. Despite these titans of industry making Charlotte their own, the cost of living is fairly low and newlyweds can enjoy all that the city has to offer.”

• Tulsa, Okla. – Rent.com says: “With the lowest cost of living on our list, Tulsa offers newlyweds a great foothold when it comes to stepping out on their own. As the cultural capital of the state, newlyweds can experience the ballet, the opera, several major museums and even be immersed in nature via the Tulsa Garden Center or the nearby Ozark Mountains.”

Source: Forbes

June 2013 Downtown Dimension Highlights

Here are my notes from the latest edition of Downtown Dimension:

• Summer is going to be filled with several Downtown events:
• Dine Downtown goes from June 21-30
• Starlight Cinemas starts June 12th and ends on August 21st with the 5th annual Zombie-O-Rama.
• Music in the Park returns for one day on July 19th
• The Downtown Farmer's Market is open every Friday from 10am to 2pm through November 15th on San Pedro Street.
• The 33rd annual Fountain Blues Festival kicks off on July 20th at St. James Park.
• San Jose Jazz Summer Fest is scheduled from Aug. 9-11th.
• Three new restaurants are opening soon:
• The Farmers Union gastro-pub and sports lounge is taking a huge corner space at 151 W. Santa Clara St. and will feature a wood-fired oven, 20 HD TVs, and over 50 beers on tap.
• Blackbird Tavern will be coming to 200 S. First St. with a diverse menu of fresh pub food and French bistro favorites. Live music will also be a key attraction here.
• Orchestria Palm Court is opening their doors at 27 E. William next to the San Jose Stage and will have some very unique music machines to entertain diners.
• Chef Mo's Cafe is open at 261 N. Second St. in the Germania Hall and is serving artisan Braunschwiger, German salami and chicken sandwiches, spinach and berry salad with mango chutney, and several other options.
• Downtown Doors is expanding to a total of 80 sites throughout Downtown (21 new sites!)
• Downtown San Jose is getting enhanced security patrols courtesy of the PBID district program (Groundwerx). Two officers are scheduled for 32 hours each week to deter "quality of life" crimes such as trespassing, vandalism, and drinking in public.

To read the full newsletter, click here!

Misora @ Santana Row Set to Open on October 2013

The newest luxury rental home project at Santana Row is just about ready. Phase 1 consists of 212 homes which will range from 456 SQFT studios (a first for Santana Row) all the way up to 2,780 SQFT penthouse suites. There will be high-end outdoor amenities like a 75-foot lap pool, Baja pool, sun lounge, spa, outdoor BBA, al fresco dining, a roof-level pet park, and landscaped gardens. Indoor, they will have a wine cellar with lockers, billiard and gaming tables, a fitness studio, a serenity lunge, a private cinema, cafe, conference center, and a concierge. Construction began in Feb 2012, pre-leasing happens later this month, and move-ins should start in October.

Open Forum: Homelessness in San Jose

Okay, today we're going to do things a little bit differently. There is no real post, just an open topic for discussion on one of the worst problems San Jose faces (especially Downtown) as well as many other Silicon Valley cities... homelessness. There are at least 7,000 homeless people living in the San Jose metro right now. What should we do about it?

Should we follow the San Francisco route and put millions and millions of dollars into programs supporting the homeless, even going so far as to make it fully legal for people to sleep in public places like parks (proposed law), or will that just attract more homeless people? Should we go the New York route and do everything possible to get homeless out of the city, or is that immoral? They even went so far as to ban food donations to homeless shelters, which was also done in several Texas cities. Or perhaps is there some middle ground, such as taking good care of all homeless that were born in the San Jose area, but asking everyone else to leave.

There is no right or wrong answer, this is an open topic and I just want to hear your thoughts.