Hawaiian Airlines / Kristi Yamaguchi Downtown Ice, presented by Sobrato Organization

Open daily Nov. 18, 2016 - Jan. 16, 2017

SAN JOSE – Hawaiian Airlines, Kristi Yamaguchi and her Always Dream Foundation partner with the San Jose Downtown Association to produce the Hawaiian Airlines / Kristi Yamaguchi Downtown Ice, presented by Sobrato Organization rink Nov. 18 through Jan. 16. at the Circle of Palms, 120 S. Market St.

Yamaguchi, the 1992 Olympics figure skating gold medalist, will help with opening celebration at Nov. 23 at 5 p.m. at the rink.

Family and friends, along with fellow ice skaters can enjoy the beautifully lit palm trees  for an unforgettable experience.

“My kids ask me, is that the place with the palm trees? And when I tell them yes, they race to the car,” Yamaguchi said.

The http://downtownicesj.com website posts daily hours.  In general, during November, early December and after the holidays in January, Downtown Ice is open 5-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 5 p.m.-midnight on Friday; noon-midnight on Saturday; and noon-9 p.m. on Sunday.  During the winter break, the rink is open 11 a.m.-midnight daily.  Special hours apply to the holidays.

Admission is $15 for children 10-under and $17 for skaters 11-older. Those who bring their own skates will be admitted for $10.

Discounts and details are at http://downtownicesj.com.  The rink phone number is (408) 291-0525. Parking information is at http://parksj.org.

Downtown Ice is located within steps of Christmas in the Park displays, which occupies Plaza de Cesar Chavez starting Nov. 25. These two downtown San Jose holiday attractions are supported in part by participants in the 5-kilometer TiVo Santa Run Silicon Valley held on Dec. 18.  Dress up in costume and run a 5-kilometer race as lights descend on downtown.  A children’s division will also be participating along with a costume contest with great prizes, some fun mileage markers and surprises along the course.  Sign up at www.santarunsv.com.

Besides skating, the community can support Downtown Ice in another important way:  Make a donation to the Schools on Skates program.  Fifth- and sixth-grade students from areas schools – who may not otherwise have the opportunity to go ice skating –  take a field trip to skate.  Contact Joe Noonan, sponsorship manager, jnoonan@sjdowntown.com.



Hawaiian Airlines / Kristi Yamaguchi Downtown Ice details

When:  Open daily Nov. 18, 2016 – Jan. 16, 2017

Nov. 18 – 25
Friday, Nov. 18: 5 p.m. - midnight
Saturday, Nov. 19: noon - midnight
Sunday, Nov. 20: noon - 9 p.m.
Monday, Nov. 21: 5 - 10 p.m.
Tuesday, Nov. 22:  5-10 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 23, the day before Thanksgiving: 6:30 p.m. - midnight
Thursday, Nov. 24, Thanksgiving: 2 p.m. - midnight
Friday, Nov. 25, the day after Thanksgiving: 11 a.m. - midnight

Nov. 26 – Dec. 15
Saturday: noon - midnight
Sunday: noon - 9 p.m.
Monday -Thursday: 5 - 10 p.m.
Friday: 5 p.m. – midnight

Dec. 16 – Jan. 7 (Winter Break)
Daily: 11 a.m. - midnight*
*Special Christmas and New Year’s holiday hours
Sunday, Dec. 25, Christmas: 2 p.m. - midnight
Saturday, Dec. 31, New Year’s Eve: 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 1, New Year’s Day:  Noon - midnight

Jan. 8 – Jan. 16*
Sunday: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Monday - Thursday: 5 - 9 p.m.
Friday: 5 p.m. - midnight
Saturday: noon - midnight
*MLK Holiday special hours: 11 a.m. - midnight Sun., Jan. 15 and 11 a.m. – 9 p.m., Mon., Jan. 16

Admission: 
Children 10 years & younger: $15
11 years & older: $17

Cash, Paypal, Visa, Mastercard accepted. Admission includes ice time and rental skates (skate sizes range from toddler 8 to men's 13).

Skate all you want (no in-and-out privileges)/ First-come, first-serve.

Address (starting November 18):  120 S. Market St., San Jose, CA 95113
Phone: (408) 279-1775 (SJDA); (408) 610-4055 (rink starting Nov. 18)


Promotions:

• SEASON PASS:  Unlimited visits throughout the season. $50 before Nov. 22 and $60 after Nov. 22.  Purchase online or at the SJDA office, 28 N. First St. Suite 1000
• Downtown Ice and Hawaiian Airlines have combined on airfare discounts to the islands.  Go to apps.hawaiianairlines.com/Affiliate/Booking.aspx
• Holiday Hat Trick – $28 combination ticket to Downtown Ice, San Jose Museum of Art, and The Tech Museum exhibition (47 percent discount)
• Aloha Fridays $10 ticket to anyone wearing Hawaiian attire. Regsiter for a free trip for two to Hawaii.

Multiple other discounts are available, but cannot be combined, and are available online at www.downtownicesj.com

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The San Jose Downtown Association (SJDA), established 1986, is a non-profit group of business and property owners working to improve the vitality and livability of downtown San Jose. SJDA advocates on issues that affect downtown business and property owners; enhances the image of downtown and attract new visitors through year-round marketing, public relations, and special events; and collaborates with its Property-Based Improvement District (PBID) for ongoing improvements to downtown’s cleanliness, security, aesthetics and delivery of services.

Wednesday Wishlist: robotic parking garages

Check out this innovative approach to solving parking issues in our urban areas. An automated garage would take less space, be more convenient, and can be converted to apartments or offices when self-driving transportation makes garages mostly irrelevant.

Ride VTA's historic trolley during the holidays

The VTA’s "Holly Trolly" is already decked out for Christmas and is circling Downtown San Jose. I did drop the ball a bit since it actually began service on October 14th with a Halloween theme.

The Trolley operates between the Civic Center and San Jose Diridon light rail stations and the best part is that the ride is completely free all holiday season!

Riders can expect some fun surprises including a Virtual Reality experience using Google Cardboard. Don’t forget your smartphone and to download the Cardboard app through Google Play or the App Store, or view VR videos on YouTube.

Instructions for Google Cardboard:
1. Download the Google Cardboard app, then select your video. Or select a VR video on YouTube.
2. Place your smartphone in the front of the Google Cardboard and secure your device.
3. Push the play button on the side of the Cardboard to start your video.
4. Enjoy your VR experience!

2016 Historic Trolley Service:
October 14 through December 31, 2016.*
Fridays                             6:30 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Saturdays & Sundays      2:30 p.m. - 10 p.m.

*Weather permitting. Please check vta.org for updates on service.

For more details and to plan your trip, call VTA Customer Service at 408-321-2300 or check the schedule and hop on board!

The Historic Trolley, Car 2001, was built in Milan, Italy in 1928 where it originally operated until the mid-1980s when it was donated by the Italian government to the San Jose Trolley Corporation. VTA's Car 2001 is one of six restored trolleys maintained by VTA.

Tramell Crow Diridon Project

A slick video has been released promoting the new Diridon mixed-use development in Downtown San Jose. As a reminder, the project includes 1 million SQFT of office space, 325 luxury apartments, 35,000 SQFT of retail space, and multiple public plazas.

The video cites various perks of the location including immediate access to the largest transit hub on the west coast, easy highway access, proximity to the airport, and of course being in the very center of the tech world. It is only 3 minutes long and is worth a watch. It's impressive to see the caliber of projects we are now getting.

Source: Hillrise from the San Jose Development Forum

Diridon from Diridon on Vimeo.

Saturday Stats: Rents are higher near the Shark Tank

There is a sometimes controversial theory that sports venues increase property values around them. A recent RentCafe study adds some legs to the connection. Based on their analysis, rents are on average 27% higher within a 2-mile radius of NHL arenas. San Jose in particular has 18% higher rents within this radius than the rest of the city.

This is not always the case. For example, rents are a 31% less near the Oakland Coliseum based on a similar study for NFL teams (Levi's Stadium shows up as 9% higher rent). For more info, hit the source link.

Source: RentCafe

Harvest Festival 2016 - Nov. 25-27 at the SJ Convention Center

The West Coast's largest indoor arts and crafts show is coming to Downtown San Jose in two weeks. The festival features thousands of American-made arts and crafts including original art, jewelry, clothing, toys, and home decor. Many of the gifts can be custom ordered or personalized.

To compliment the shopping, there will be an assortment of food, music, and live entertainment. Several bands will be performing throughout the show including James Garner's Cash Tribute. Holiday-themed entertainers will also wander the halls throughout the three day show.

While parents shop, kids can play at an interactive KidZone. Here the tykes can build their own art projects such as gingerbread cookie decorating.

The Harvest Festival will run from (Black) Friday, November 25 to Sunday, November 27th at the San Jose Convention Center. Hours are 9am-6pm on Friday, 10am-6pm on Saturday, and 10am-5pm on Sunday. Admission is $9 for adults, $7 for seniors and military, $4 for teenagers, and those 12 & under are free. You can print a $2 off coupon on this page (lower right). Admission includes the whole weekend, not just a specific day.

For more information or to buy tickets, head over to the Harvest Festival website over here.

"Fountain Gallery Alley" 2-Day Pop-Up Art Gallery in Downtown San Jose

 
SAN JOSE - Local artists, residents, and nonprofits come together to host a 2-day pop-up art gallery, “Fountain Gallery Alley” at Fountain Alley, a neglected alleyway in downtown San Jose. On Friday November 11 (12pm-8pm) and Saturday November 12 (2pm-8pm), Fountain Alley will be filled with live painting, community mural, music, performances, games, artwork, and interactive installations for a whimsical experience day to night. The goal off the event is to harness the power of local art, talent, and energy to re-envision the alley as a downtown gem and beautiful public space.

Fountain Alley lies between 1st and 2nd Street, just south of Santa Clara Street in downtown San Jose. It is the alley that connects the downtown Santa Clara VTA station/Transit Mall.

Fountain Alley lies in the heart of the historic district of downtown San Jose, California. While next to downtown's most iconic building - the Bank of America tower, and surrounded by popular restaurants and nightlife destinations, the alleyway mostly sits empty and is plagued with poor public perception.

"I live near Fountain Alley and walk through it every day. I believe the space can do so much more for the community than what it is right now," said Rosalyn Lum, downtown resident and member of the Fountain Gallery Alley team.

Local artists and community members have yearned for change for many years and wish to see the space be an open, safe, and welcoming space for everyone.

The objective of "Fountain Gallery Alley" is to turn Fountain Alley to a greater community asset through a pop-up gallery showcasing local artists.  By making incremental yet impactful changes, and creating an environment that is open, inviting, and beautiful, the community aims to change the perception and connection people of the alley. "There is so much creative and dedicated talent in San Jose and when pulled together we can accomplish so much" says Erin Salazar, Director of the Exhibition District.

This project is supported by the Knight Foundation and 8 80 Cities through the Emerging City Champions Fellowship, and the San Jose Downtown Association.  For more information please visit www.opengalleryalley.com.

Wednesday Wishlist: Michelin Star Restaurants (2017 Edition)

Welcome to the 8th annual Wednesday Wishlist post where the topic is getting restaurants in San Jose worthy of Michelin starts. The Michelin guide is the most renowned rubric in the world for measuring culinary success. This is where I typically say something like: "I'm optimistic it will only be a matter of time until our food scene gets the recognition it deserves." Well guess what--not this year! San Jose finally has a restaurant with a Michelin Star, and the honor goes to Adega in Little Portugal. I could not think of a more worthy restaurant to be San Jose's first recipient of a star.

Michelin has three different star categories:

• One Star - A very good restaurant in its category with cuisine prepared to a consistently high standard. A good place to stop on your journey.
• Two Stars - Excellent cuisine, skillfully and carefully crafted dishes of outstanding quality. Worth a detour.
• Three Stars - Exceptional cuisine with distinctive dishes and superlative ingredients. Worth a special journey.

There are also restaurants in the Michelin guide that do not get a star, but are considered "Michelin Recommended." This is already a significant honor that a very small percentage of restaurants achieve. Within this category San Jose scored a total of 12 restaurants.

I created a Google doc listing all of the star recipients for 2017, along with tabs for all previous years and some general statistics. Below is an image capture from the doc. This year there were a total of 54 restaurants that were awarded Michelin stars, which is up 4 from last year and an all-time high for the Bay Area. 61% of the restaurants are locating in SF, 19% in Wine Country, 19% in Silicon Valley (split evenly between the South Bay and the Peninsula), and 2% in the East Bay. This is the first year in which Silicon Valley tied with Wine Country when it comes to star distribution--thanks to Adega in San Jose and Madera in Menlo Park (which was added back this year). There are 7 new restaurants on the list for 2017 and only three from 2016 did not make the cut: All Spice, Ame, and Kusakabe (all located in SF).


San Jose Michelin Starred Restaurants:

• East San Jose
• Adega (* 1 STAR *)

San Jose Michelin Recommended Restaurants:

• Downtown
• Vung Tau
• Back A Yard
• Swaad
• The Alameda
• Zona Rosa
• Midtown
• Walia
• Din Tai Fung (New)
• North San Jose
• Smoking Pig BBQ
• South San Jose
• Bun Bo Hue An Nam
• Thien Long
• Lau Hai San
• Willow Glen
• The Table
• Camden
• Zeni

In addition to Adega, Din Thai Fung (Chinese) is the latest newcomer to San Jose's "Michelin Recommended" list for San Jose. We did lose two that were recommended last year, Fratello and Rangoli. Overall, this is far and away San Jose's strongest showing in the Michelin guide to date. I'm hoping the trend continues and Adega inspires other San Jose restaurants to shoot for the moon! 

Source: Michelin Guide