Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

We hope that you and your family enjoy the holidays this year.

For a fun little adventure, you can check out the most decked out holiday decorations in San Jose along with a map and addresses over here.

Shop San Jose

If you are still doing some last minute shopping and you are trying to decide which brand to go with, why not prioritize companies that are based in San Jose. A few years ago we started putting together a list of companies headquarterd in San Jose that provide consumer goods and services. If you have any to add, just post in the comments!

To access the spreadsheet, click here.

#SiliconValleyLife

As San Jose's prestige continues to rise, so does the quality of our promotional videos. Visit San Jose has produced what I think is the best promo video of our city to date. Click here for the full resolution version.

Huge thanks to Vianka Villanueva for sending this in!

SJC is getting a new nonstop flight to JFK!

Delta airlines is delivering on our #1 most requested domestic route. Starting Jun 8, 2018, you will be able to fly Delta nonstop from San Jose to JFK International in New York. The flight will leave San Jose at 10:35pm and arrive at JFK at 7:15am (yup, it's a redeye). The return flight will leave JFK at 8:15am and arrive back at SJC at 11:45am. The timing on that return flight is highly desirable, especially for business travelers.

JetBlue also operates a pair of nonstops between San Jose and JFK, but with less desirable times, no first class option, and fewer "in-network" connecting flights.

The flights will use Boeing 737-800 planes with 16 first class seats, 36 Comfort+ seats, and 108 economy seats. This is yet another big win for our airport and for travelers.

 Source: Hat-tip to Daniel Martinez, SVBJ

Content 10.0 (Seek) Pick-up Party

Content Magazine is hosting a party to celebrate their latest issues on December 19th (entitled "Seek") at Hotel De Anza, 233 W. Santa Clara Street.

The event goes from 7pm-9:30pm and includes live music from featured artists such as Salty Sherilyn, Lake Stovall, Socorra, and The Mark Arroyo Trio. Subscribers get one free drink to kick off the night and a holiday gift bag. For more information, head over to the event's Facebook page.

San Jose Craft Holiday Fair 2017

There is a great opportunity to shop local this weekend and buy holiday gifts made right here in San Jose. SJMADE is putting on their 2017 Craft Holiday Fair in South Hall this year (435 South Market Street) which is a block away from Christmas in the Park. There will be hundreds of craft makers, food producers, and artists. Also, the event is indoors, free, and family-friendly.

The San Jose Craft Holiday Fair runs from 11am to 6pm on Saturday, December 16th and Sunday December 17th. For more info, head over to the SJMADE website.

New mixed-use project proposed off Bascom and Southwest Expressway

Bay West Development is proposing a significant residential and office development right next to Bascom Light Rail station. The 6.4-acre project would have 447 residential units and 200,000 SQFT of commercial space. Today the site is a half-empty strip mall and smog testing station. The residential building would be eight stories (respectable density outside of Downtown) while the office building would be seven stories. There would also be an undisclosed amount of retail on the ground floor and a landscaped public space connecting the two buildings.

Source: SVBJ

December 2017 Downtown Dimension Highlights

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

• The City Council is buying six pieces of land by the SAP Center that will help ensure enough parking supply for Sharks games while the Autumn Parkway is completed (the road will connect Downtown to I-880 via Coleman).
• VTA fares will increase by a quarter to $2.25 on regular routes and to $4.50 for express routes. Youth fares are dropping from $1.75 to $1 and day passes are increasing by a dollar to $7.
• Bills Backyard has opened behind the Children's Discovery Museum, giving kids a new place to dig, roll, climb, build, and explore.
• The Vacant Storefront Registry is an 18-month pilot program to activate long-vacant ground-floor spaces.
• Four new businesses have opened in the San Pedro Square Market in the past month:
• Barber Bar - haircuts and cocktails, need I say more
• Urban Momo - South Asian fusion
• 2W Salads - healthy salads, wraps, and stuffed potatoes
• Crepes and More - eggs served four ways, smoothies, and crepes
• Two more tech companies moved Downtown:
• Pek Pongpaet (466 S. First) - UI / UX design
• Kika Tech (8 N. San Pedro) - Artificial Intelligence

To read the newsletter, click here!