View from the Downtown San Jose Marriott

This is a perspective you don't often see of Downtown San Jose from the top of the Marriott. It's really the only way to get the long view of Plaza de Cesar Chavez without being in an office building.

Suspiro Paella Party

Paella is a delicious Spanish rice dish that you almost always have to order for two people or more. Suspiro at Santana Row is doing Paella Parties where you can commit to a smaller portion for $16 a plate along with discounted Sangrias. 

You can find Suspiro all the way at the end of the Row next to Meso and Barry's Bootcamp. (Shh, it also has a hidden Speakeasy in the back).

Little Italy San Jose has a Speakeasy

There is a brand new Italian Museum in Little Italy San Jose, and it has a secret. The basement was converted to a members-only Speakeasy. Memberships are only $50/year (open to anyone over 21) and the drinks are all reasonably priced. Plus all the proceeds from both memberships and drinks go to the museum. For more info, click here.

Hours

Wednesday: 5pm - 10pm

Thursday 5pm - 10pm

Friday 5pm - 10:30pm

Saturday 5pm - 10:30pm

Sunday - 2pm - 7pm

South FIRST FRIDAYS Art Walk + STREET MRKT - September 2024

South FIRST FRIDAYS is back with exhibits across multiple galleries in three different districts. Everything is open from at least 5-9pm. Participating venues include ANNO DOMINI, the Institute of Contemporary Art, KALEID Gallery, Works San Jose, the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles, the SoFA Market, MACLA, Art Ark Gallery, MACHU PICCHU, San Jose Jazz, and Chopsticks Alley Gallery.

It all goes down on Friday, September 6th. As usual admission is free and all ages are welcome. Click here for a preview of featured art! Below is a map with all of the galleries to check out across all three different districts.

This month is also a STREET MRKT indie urban art faire which overlaps with the art walk and runs from 5pm to 10pm. This bonus event features dozens of vendors and artists, turning the streets of SoFA into an outdoor art gallery. It also includes live music, food trucks, and a beer garden with local breweries (more details below).

South FIRST FRIDAYS presents: STREET MRKT indie urban art faire 

FIRST FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 6th 5pm–10pm
Free admission (spend it with the Artists!).
Out on S. 1st St. (between San Carlos & William streets) in SoFA District

Join us out on So. 1st St. as artists transform the SoFA District into a unique and bustling outdoor gallery with their creative energy! Imaginative paintings & sculptures, glass art demos, fascinating bone jewelry, classic tattoo art, counterculture zines, and chic fashion are just some of the rare works you’ll find when you come out and support our amazing arts community. 

We’ll also have a great variety of delicious food trucks and a lively beer garden sponsored by & featuring: Clandestine Brewing Co., Fox Tale Fermentation, and Strike Brewing Co.

FEATURED ARTISTS:
Anthony Alva 
Rebecca Anguiano
BAGI / Bay Area Glass Institute 
Delilah Bender
The Blunt Letters
Julianne Bonnet
Emmanuel Cervantes Mejia 
Crossroads Trading Co.
Dario Cruz
Current Tattooing
Christina Del Alto
Jennifer DeChenne
Joseph Demaree
Mario Dimas
Lorenz Dumuk
Mahsa Emoventur
Force129
Cynthia Gonzalez
Jared Gochuico
Hand in Hand Henna
Higher Fire Clayspace
Maureen Holcomb
Jodi408
Sarah Loyola
Valentino Loyola
Joe Mandrick
Martha Gardens Arts
David Mejia
MEMBIT Inc.
Gianfranco Paolozzi 
Leslie Perez 
Betty Proper
Ragavon
Francisco Ramirez
Steven Regalado 
Marilyn Roaf aka Purl Bailey
Jacob Sandoval
Ricardo Sandoval 
Rene Schilling-Sears
South Bay Ceramics
Suha Suha
Sundry 3D Treasures
Nikkea Takagi
Heylu Wheat
plus great music provided by
UNGRAMR SND SYSTEM out on S 1st Street

–>  BEER GARDEN 
5:00 – 10:00pm Great music provided by BIG LEE & Guiña
from On the Corner Music

Beer Garden sponsored by & featuring local & regional breweries: Clandestine Brewing Co., Fox Tale Fermentation, and Strike Brewing Co.

All ages welcome, must be 21+ w/ valid ID to drink beer.

STREET MRKT is supported in part by a Cultural Affairs grant from the City of San Jose.

New restaurant taking shape near Levi's Stadium

Levi's Stadium is going to attract tons of attention to Silicon Valley over the next couple years with events like the Super Bowl and World Cup. Unfortunately, there are very few food and hang out options walking distance to the stadium, which also creates a traffic nightmare as people have little reason to stick around after games and events. Clara's Junction appears to be the first compelling option, at least until Related's multi-billion dollar mixed used projects across the street gets going.

What used to be a Carl's Jr. will become a 18,000 SQFT indoor/outdoor social space complete with a restaurant and over 20 beers on tap. Clara's Junction will also have craft cocktails, lawn games, fire pits, a pit BBQ and a taco truck.

The project couldn't come a moment too soon. In addition to games and events, 4,500 residential units are being built in the immediate area. There is tremendous opportunity to build some great restaurants both here and in North San Jose a couple blocks away.

Source: SFGATE

Sneak peek at San Jose's newest bar: Pressroom

In the San Pedro Square area, my two favorite cocktail bars right now are Dr. Funk and Five Points. David Mulvehill is behind both along with O'Flaherty's Irish Pub and Hella Good Burger in the San Pedro Square Market. Now he's opening another upscale bar and restaurant in a space used to print newspapers, so it's appropriately being called "Pressroom."

The location is at the corner of W. Santa Clara Street and Almaden Avenue, right next to The Brit. The menu at Pressroom will be farm-to-table American fare and they are planning to be open for breakfast/brunch. The space will have two bars and space for a late-night DJ. It'll help activate a key corner, both during the workweek and after dinner.

The current ETA is early 2025.

Source: SVBJ

More details on greatly enhanced electrified Caltrain schedules

Electrified trains have already been added to the Caltrain network, but they have been hamstrung by the old Diesel schedule. On September 21st, the system will change over to the fully electrified schedule and it is nothing but good news. Not only are the trains quieter and cleaner, but they are also much faster.

The slowest option from San Jose to San Francisco with 23 stops will go from 115 minutes to 83 minutes, shaving more than half an hour off the route. The 401 train goes from Diridon to SF and the route will go from 14 stops to 16 stops and STILL reduce the time from 76 minutes to 69 minutes. That Express (Baby Bullet) route from San Jose Diridon to SF will go from just 7 stops to 10 stops and reduce the time from 66 minutes to 59 minutes.

It's good news all around for transit enthusiasts, as well as traditional commuters along 101 and 280. More people taking Caltrain equals fewer cars clogging up roads and freeways. Caltrain is also the nicest transit options we have in the Bay Area outside of a few limited-stop AMTRAK routes.

Source: Trains.com

Happy Labor Day!

Happy Labor Day everyone. Please enjoy this depiction of what AI think Labor Day looks like in San Jose.