TWO BUCK Tuesday Today at KALEID Gallery

If you are interested in killer local art deals, you have to check out TWO BUCK Tuesday at KALEID (88 South Fourth Street, next to Flames). There will be live demos and painting by over a dozen artists and the best part is that you can purchase original works for the ultra-reasonable price of $2. There will also be live music and cheesecakes for sale. More info below!

Join us for our monthly artist and quirky people get together featuring live art, demos, live music and $2 original art to take home! Tuesday November 18th, 7–10pm, free & all ages. Live painting and demos by: Jeffrey Bramschreiber Brandon Anderton Gianfranco Paolozzi Mark Martinez Michael David Denning Al Preciado, Jay Cee and Nekyua James Pollard Noggin Mojica Erica Arteya Steve Borelli Jennifer Blake April Burton Darius Alexander Dave Mejia Vanessa Callanta and Alexander Creationz will have delicious cheesecakes for sale Music by DJ Blaze 88 South Fourth Street (@ San Fernando) San Jose, CA 95112 info@KALEIDGallery.com 408-947-1785 Gallery Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, noon -7pm Free admission

New BART to Downtown San Jose Proposal

The largest public transit project in the Bay Area is rapidly moving forward, but there is one major hiccup for Phase II of BART's extension to the South Bay. Phase I is fully funded and should be completed no later than 2018, running BART mass transit trains to both Milpitas and Berryessa. Phase II--which includes stations at Alum Rock, Downtown San Jose, Diridon, and Santa Clara--is now at risk of losing a huge chunk of Federal Funding. Timing is absolutely critical here. The project needs to enter the Federal New Starts Program by the end of 2014, or $1.1 billion of funding could be cut from the project, putting the whole phase at risk.

A four station Phase II BART extension will cost $4.7 billion. That breaks down into $1.1 billion from the Federal New Starts Program, $1.4 billion from Measure A, and a whopping $3 billion is unaccounted for. This puts the project at a high risk of being rejected by the Federal New Starts Program and we would likely need new substantial taxes to fund the $3 billion gap.

So here is the new proposal to get things off the ground and secure most of the funding within the next two months. Let's only build two station in Phase II: Downtown San Jose and Diridon. These will be by far the most utilized stations in the South Bay extension and would result in substantially reducing the cost of Phase II. The total cost would now become $3.4 billion, $1.1 billion from the Federal New Starts Program, $1.4 billion from Measure A, and a $1.7 billion gap. Since more than 50% of the project would be funded, it would greatly improve our chances of getting federal funding.

Personally, while I would love to have the full four stations now... I would gladly take these two over no extension at all (or one delayed to 2030). The Alum Rock and Santa Clara stations could be built in a future Phase III. In fact, my dream scenario for Phase III would be these two stations plus a further extension up north to Levi's Stadium/Great America, Mountain View, and Palo Alto.

We have to start somewhere. What do you guys think about dropping two stations temporarily in order to ensure BART connects with Silicon Valley's urban core?

Lord of the Rings Trilogy with Live Orchestra at Symphony Silicon Valley

One weekend to rule them all.

Symphony Silicon Valley, Chorale, and Howard Shore (composer of the award-winning Lord of the Rings soundtrack) presents an epic weekend of the entire trilogy complete with a LIVE orchestra. 

And it'll be in downtown San Jose, April 2015. 

So before I get any further into this post - full disclosure - I'm doing a little bit of work related to this event. So when I found out about it I immediately knew that our readers at The San Jose Blog would love to hear about it. Of course, if you hadn't already via the front page news on The San Jose Mercury News or other media outlets like Twitter, etc, that have since spread the news.

That said - I really wanted to write about it. I've seen the movies, but never read the books. However, my husband is the big fan. He's read the books, seen the movies umpteen times, and back when Return of the King premiered, he and a friend went to an all day marathon screening of all the films back to back. 

So our household is very familiar with the Lord of the Rings. And perhaps needless to say, my husband is *very* interested in this news. 

Even though the event doesn't happen until April, the tickets are already going fast. My husband has already noted to me that this would make a great Christmas gift for him. He actually said to me, "Wink wink, nudge nudge." Yeah ok, hubs. I got it. 

The epic event happens in two different cycles to choose from:

Lord of the Rings Cycle 1:

April 16, 2015 7:00 pm The Fellowship of the Ring April 17, 2015 7:00 pm The Two Towers April 18, 2015 7:00 pm The Return of the King
April 19, 2015 1:00 pm The Two Towers
April 19, 2015 6:30 pm The Return of the King

Lord of the Rings Cycle 2

April 18, 2015 1:00 pm The Fellowship of the Ring

Tickets for all three films are sold in a package at $330, $240, and $150. Single (film) tickets may be available for any remaining seats at a future date: $120, $90, and $60. 

The San Jose Center for the Performing Arts is located at 255 S. Almaden Blvd, San Jose, CA 95113.

You can buy them at: www.lotrssv.org and www.symphonysiliconvalley.org 

Lara Ruggles Playing at San Jose's RAW: CURRENT Showcase at Motif Lounge Wednesday, November 19 starting at 8pm

When Denver singer-songwriter Lara Ruggles toured the West Coast with her tour manager, photographer and boyfriend Art Heffron for the first time this February, their computers, camera gear, and all her clothing were stolen from their rental car in San Francisco mid-journey. But they kept going in spite of the setback, finishing out the tour and celebrating Art’s birthday – sans stolen birthday presents – in Los Angeles.

Things can only go up from there, so Lara’s hitting the road again in November for her Give:Voice tour and playing up and down the coast of California following the release of a new video, recorded live with her band in a magical Denver backyard.

Lara’s gearing up for the release of her debut full-length album, Cynics and Saints, on Immersive Records in early 2015. With the support of a strong Colorado community, she’s prepared to make waves in new places leading up to its launch.

“I don’t think I realized how much our community was there for us until our stuff got stolen,” she says. “It’s easy to get jaded when you’re just making enough to get you to the next show, and you’re like, is anyone really listening? Would anyone care if I just packed up and quit singing? But the way people responded [to the theft], that was my silver lining.”

Within a week of the theft, Lara and Art’s community had raised over $4000 in paypal donations, and they were able to replace their computers when they returned home to Denver.  The support of their community wasn’t the only positive outcome of the February tour – it also began a partnership with ridesharing app Lyft that resulted in Lara being featured on billboards and buses as part of their “More Than a Ride” campaign.

Lara started driving for Lyft in January to save money for a tour, and “I thought I’d have a little fun with it and take the pink mustache on tour with me.” She and Art sent the resulting photos to Lyft, who in turn helped out with the expenses of their West Coast tour. Then, when Lyft was looking for a musician to round out its campaign featuring Lyft “creatives”, they knew just who to call.

Still, the roller coaster has its ups and downs. Lara began 2014 opening for Nina Storey’s New Year’s Eve show in Denver, and went on to play a set at South by Southwest in March. This summer she was invited to open for Colbie Caillat and Head and the Heart’s Josiah Johnson with Carleigh Aikins, as well as added to the lineup of a new locals-only festival at Colorado’s famed outdoor amphitheater Mishawaka, but all three opportunities fell through last-minute. “I try to see those things as reasons why it’s worth it to keep doing this instead of the other way around,“ she says. “It’s an affirmation that there’s a positive response to the music, and there’s something there that people are connecting with.”

And even those disappointments have their upsides. Having led youth arts programs for years and seen firsthand the difference the arts can make, Lara has long held a vision of donating to organizations that bring the arts to youth. “I decided it was time to stop waiting to meet a certain threshold,” she says. So the “Give:Voice” tour will be the pilot of the “Give:Voice” initiative, through which Lara will donate 10% of her CD sales and tips to youth arts organizations in each city she visits. Details can be found on her website, www.lararuggles.com.  

North San Jose's Renovation Row

Have a look at the map below from the Silicon Valley Business Journal showcasing just how much existing office space in North San Jose has either recently been renovated or is currently in the process of being renovated. About 2.4 million SQFT of R&D facilities have been renovated over the last two years, and 1.4 million SQFT of that is on Orchard Parkway ("Renovation Row").

Source: SVBJ

Santana Row November 2014 Happenings And a Look Ahead to December and Beyond

San Jose, CA –The holiday rush is about to hit and Santana Row is ready to celebrate! The annual tree-lighting event, a favorite South Bay tradition for families, will have extra bright wattage this year with a special appearance by Vernon Davis of the San Francisco 49ers. Thanksgiving weekend starts with Black Friday shopping specials and an early morning kick-off for the annual “One Warm Coat” drive with KTVU South Bay reporter Janine De La Vega. In December, there is the annual Menorah Lighting ceremony, a benefit holiday wine stroll and Santa Paws, a photo event for pets with proceeds going to the Silicon Valley Humane Society.

 

Round Trip Shuttle to Levi’s Stadium

Service provided for all San Francisco 49ers home games: Nov. 23 (Washington), Nov. 27, (Seattle),Dec. 20 (San Diego), Dec. 28 (Cardinals)

Take the stress out of driving to the new stadium and finding a parking spot on game days by taking the Santana Row shuttle! Make your individual or group reservation online and you’ll be set to go. Ticket are $40 per person.

Buses leave Santana Row approximately two  game time and depart the stadium one hour after the game ends. Your ticket includes free parking in a special reserved lot for immediate access to the buses and the round trip to and from the game. Also included: Santana Row shopping and dining specials at select restaurants, such as bottomless mimosas, prix fixe menus, private tailgate pre-parties with cash bar and extended happy hour offerings.


Santana Row Pick-Up Location:
 When you arrive at Santana Row, park your vehicle in the designated, secured parking lot located off Hatton Street, behind the Levare residential complex. Registration and buses are in front of CineArts Theatre. Buses will depart at the scheduled time, two hours before kick-off and will not wait for passengers.


Levi’s Stadium Drop-Off Location: 
The bus will park at the official shuttle drop-off location at Levi’s Stadium. One hour after the conclusion of the game, the bus will depart from the same location. All passengers not on bus at the specified departure time will not receive transportation back to Santana Row. For more information, go SantanaRow.com or contact the Concierge Office: 408.551.4611.

Cars & Croissants

Fourth Saturday of the month: Nov. 22 and Dec. 27

9 a.m. to noon

Santana Row partners with 100 OCT to present Cars & Croissants on The Row, a monthly gathering for exotic car owners and car enthusiasts. On the fourth Saturdayof the month through December, exotic car owners are invited to park on Santana Row Boulevard from Alyssum Lane to Tatum Boulevard, display their cars and mingle with other enthusiasts. The morning meet-up for coffee, croissants and cars drew 400 people and 60 cars during the first event and continues to grow in popularity. This event is free and open to the public.

 

Santana Row’s Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony

With Special Appearance by Vernon Davis of the San Francisco 49ers

Tuesday, Nov. 18, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Santana Row’s 2014 annual tree-lighting ceremony gets an extra bit of dazzle this year with Vernon Davis, who will help kick off the holiday season at The Row.

The much-anticipated day of seasonal festivities begins at 5 p.m. with pre-show entertainment featuring The Dance Zone, The Harker School, Lincoln High School and more. Santa photos will be taken in an antique fire engine and benefits Toys for Tots and the Vernon Davis Foundation for the Arts.

The fun continues into the evening with live music, costumed characters, special guests and a selection of performances by local theater and dance groups. Guest performers include David del Rio from the Nickelodeon series, The Troop; dancers from Ballet San Jose’s The Nutcracker and singers from Children’s Musical Theatre’s Mary Poppins.

The highlight of the event takes place at 7 p.m. in Santana Row Park with the lighting of the 40-foot Christmas tree featuring Vernon Davis, mascot Sourdough Sam and the 49er Gold Rush cheerleaders.

Enter for a chance to win a signed Vernon Davis jersey by purchasing a $10 raffle ticket at www.vernondavisfoundation.org. Davis will draw the winning ticket during the ceremony and all proceeds will be donated to the foundation.

Many of the restaurants will offer dining specials, kid-friendly menus and holiday-themed cocktails during the day. In-store parties, hot chocolate sampling, cookies and appetizers will also add to the festivities.

For those in the mood to start their holiday shopping, spend $150 at The Row before, during or after the tree-lighting ceremony and receive two tickets to Ballet San Jose’s The Nutcracker. Present your receipts to the Santana Row Concierge.

Details: The celebration is scheduled from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., with tree-lighting slated for 7 p.m. in Santana Row Park. For more details, go to SantanaRow.com.

 

On Your Mark, Get Set, Let’s Shop! Black Friday events at Santana Row

Friday, Nov. 28, 6 a.m.

The day-after-Thanksgiving shopping tradition at Santana Row begins early and includes discounts, door buster morning specials and treats throughout the day.

Spend $1,000 or more on Black Friday and receive two tickets to the San Francisco performance of Cirque du Soleil’s Kurios. Many stores are offering customers 25 percent to 70 percent off merchandise all weekend with giveaways such as free totes, gift cards with purchase and holiday refreshments throughout each day.

Santana Row's general hours are 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Black Friday, with many stores opening early and extending hours during the weekend. For a comprehensive listing of retail and restaurant events and offerings, visit SantanaRow.com.

 

Santana Row holiday hours:

Christmas Eve: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Christmas: Closed

New Year’s Eve: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

New Year’s Day: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

 

“One Warm Coat” Drop-off with live broadcast by KTVU

Friday, Nov. 28 is the kickoff date; drive continues through Dec. 31

The annual coat drive begins the morning after Thanksgiving with KTVU’s South Bay reporter Janine de la Vega broadcasting live throughout the day from Santana Row Park. Donate a new or gently used coat and it will be given to a needy family this winter. The first 100 people to donate a coat will receive a $10 Santana Row Gift Card. Drop-off locations include CineArts Theatre, Crate & Barrel, Sur La Table and the Santana Row Concierge. The charity coat drive continues through Dec. 31. For more information call408.551.4611 or visit SantanaRow.com.

 

Rainy Day Rewards, Nov. 1 through March 31, 2015

Santana Row is optimistic that rain is on the way and wants to reward shoppers and diners braving bad weather. When there’s a 70 percent or greater chance for rain, they will be offered discounts that include 15 percent off purchases at participating shops and restaurants, a free signature Santana Row golf umbrella for customers who spend $150 anywhere on The Row and a $20 gift certificate to a participating shop or restaurant for customers who spend $300 on a designated Rainy Day.

No need to get wet: Customers can pick up a complimentary umbrella to use while shopping and dining and then return it before leaving. The yellow umbrellas are conveniently located throughout The Row: outside Concierge, Via between Village California Bistro and Lark Creek Blue and the valet parking lot in the Winchester Garage.

 

A look ahead to December and beyond…

 

“Shop, Enjoy and Give” Holiday Wine & Dine Around

A Benefit for Second Harvest Food Bank

Dec. 2, 9, 16 and 23

Help those in need while you complete your holiday shopping during Santana Row’s “Shop, Enjoy & Give” event that benefits Second Harvest Food Bank. Purchase a $15 ticket on SantanaRow.com or at the Concierge center and receive complimentary food and wine tastings in Santana Row shops and restaurants between 6 and 8 p.m. on designated Tuesdays. Also included: a signature Santana Row wine glass and exclusive holiday shopping discounts. Bring a donation of canned food when you purchase your ticket and receive $2 off the ticket. (Customers must be 21 years or older.)

 

Menorah Lighting at Park Valencia

Wednesday, Dec. 17, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Santana Row celebrates the first night of the Jewish Festival of Lights with kosher treats, entertainment and activities that include decorating dreidels, Jewish story time, arts & crafts and the lighting of the Menorah. The evening is co-hosted with the Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley and The PJ Library. The celebration will take place from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Park Valencia.

 

Santa Paws, a Benefit for Humane Society Silicon Valley

Dec. 7, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Bring your canine and feline friends to Santana Row's Park Valencia for a keepsake photo with Santa Claus. Photos are $20 and a portion of the proceeds will benefit Humane Society Silicon Valley. Registration begins at 10:30 a.m. at Park Valencia.

 

Mommy & Me and Daddies, Too: “Celebrate the Season”

Tuesday, Dec. 9, 10 a.m. to noon

The last Mommy & Me of the year will be held in the lobby of the CineArts Theatre and will include live entertainment from Andy Z, story time with Mrs. Claus, sampling from Happy Baby Brands, mini manicures from Lavande nail salon, a raffle from The Container Store, arts and crafts with Action Day Primary Plus, Balloon Animals and Face Painting and more!

Details: 10 a.m. to noon at CineArts Theatre. Mommy & Me & Daddies, Too is a free kids’ club held on the second Tuesday of every month from May through December. For more information, call 408.551.4611 or visit www.SantanaRow.com.

New Year’s Eve at Hotel Valencia

Wednesday, December 31

Bid farewell to 2014 and welcome 2015 with a fabulous New Year’s Eve hotel package or toast the new year in style at Citrus restaurant with the “Savor the Night” dinner package.

The Ultimate New Year's Eve Celebration Package includes:

•       Contemporary guest room for two

•       Champagne upon arrival

•       Admission to the New Year’s Eve Valencia Gala featuring a DJ, champagne toast and midnight snack and dessert bar

•       Grand deluxe breakfast with mimosas, served on New Year's Day

•       Late check out at 1 p.m.

Rates start at $360 per room, per night, double occupancy; additional guests are $75 per person and rooms are subject to maximum occupancy. New Year’s Eve party events will be exclusive to hotel guests who have booked these packages.

Savor the Night Dinner Package, New Year's Eve at Citrus Restaurant

Savor an exclusive five-course experience and champagne toast in the luxury of award-winning restaurant, Citrus.

The dinner package includes admission to the New Year’s Eve Valencia Gala which features a DJ, champagne toast and a midnight snack and dessert bar.

Price is $170 per person, inclusive of taxes and gratuities. Advance reservations and pre-payment required. Call 408.423.5405 for information.

 

Twitter Promotion @SantanaRow invites Tweets and Instagram tags

For a Chance to Win Gift Cards to Restaurants at The Row

Santana Row’s Twitter campaign and photo contest continues through the @SantanaRow Twitter handle. The contest invites anyone at Santana Row to Tweet or Instagram photos of a new outfit, haircut, meal, event or artsy shots and then tag it with the hash tag #LifeonTheRow. Every month, Santana Row will post an album on Facebook with all of the photos with the #LifeonTheRow hash tag. The person who took the best or most original photo will win a gift card to a Santana Row restaurant.

 

About Santana Row

 

Santana Row, a 647,000 square foot mixed-use development in San Jose, CA, is Silicon Valley’s premier destination for shopping, dining, living and working. Santana Row features over 70 shops, 20 restaurants, a boutique hotel and movie theatre. In addition to the dynamic retail & restaurant collection, Santana Row offers 615 luxury rental homes, 219 privately owned condos and 65,000 square feet of Class A office space. Santana Row is a property of www.federalrealty.com(NYSE:FRT), headquartered in Rockville, Maryland. For more information, please visit www.santanarow.com.

 

 

About Federal Realty

 

Federal Realty Investment Trust is an equity real estate investment trust specializing in the ownership, management, development, and redevelopment of high quality retail assets. Federal Realty's portfolio (excluding joint venture properties) contains approximately 20 million square feet located primarily in strategically selected metropolitan markets in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and California. In addition, the Trust has an ownership interest in approximately 1.0 million square feet of retail space through a joint venture in which the Trust has a 30% interest. Our operating portfolio (excluding joint venture properties) was 95.3% leased to national, regional, and local retailers as of June 30, 2014, with no single tenant accounting for more than approximately 3.2% of annualized base rent. Federal Realty has paid quarterly dividends to its shareholders continuously since its founding in 1962, and has increased its dividend rate for 47 consecutive years, the longest record in the REIT industry. Federal Realty is an S&P MidCap 400 company and its shares are traded on the NYSE under the symbol FRT.

Sourisseau News: Port SAN-O-SAY

Boat rentals in San Jose? The Guadalupe Lake? Check out the latest edition of the Sourisseau News bellow for a dose of super-interesting San Jose history. The video is only 2 minutes long and will leave you wondering what San Jose would be like if the Guadalupe Dam was never taken down.


Port SAN-O-SAY from WMS media Inc. on Vimeo.

November 2014 Downtown Dimension Highlights

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

• Nine pop-up shops will be open during Downtown San Jose's holiday season when more than half a million people come to visit. The new shops will be placed in vacant or underutilized indoor and outdoor spaces like the former San Jose Rep lobby. The lineup includes:
• Therethere - unique graphic T-shirts created by local artists
• Underground: A Fashion Boutique - men's and women's clothing and accessories
• San Jose Bike Clinic and Cowgirl Bike Couriers - bike repair and education
• The Usuals - apparel, accessories, and gifts
• SJ MADE Playspace - trunk shows
• San Jose Earthquakes - soccer merchandise and Earthquakes ticket sales
• Empire Seven Studios - art gallery
• The DH Company - unique sports apparel
• First Article - Bay Area designed men's wear
• The iconic Downtown Ice rink returns on November 14th to the Circle of Palms at 120 S. Market.
• After 50 years at I-880 near Brokaw, The Mercury News has finally moved back Downtown into offices at 4 N. Second Street.
• The Fountain Restaurant now features fresh new decor after a three-week renovation.
• ThirdSpace Fitness opened at 550 S. First after a four-month renovation.
• Whole Foods is opening on Dec. 9th at 777 The Alameda! The 35,000 SQFT store includes the first in-store microbrewery/tap room in a California Whole Foods.
• The Glass House is a new social center at 2 S. Market that can host parties and events of up to 1,200 people.
• The SJDA is $100K in the black for FY13-14! The allows the association to invest in some new infrastructure for Downtown Ice this year.

To read the full newsletter, click here!