The San Jose Blog

The Pierce Apartment Project in SoFA!

2013-06-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

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 =)

2013-06-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

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

2013-06-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

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

2013-06-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

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

2013-06-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

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

2013-06-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

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.

Downtown San Jose Walking Tours Return this Weekend!

2013-06-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

If you haven't been on one of these walking tours yet, I would highly recommend checking this out even if you live Downtown and think you know everything about the area. The tour guides were as entertaining as they were informative, and the whole experience was a lot of fun! This next tour starts and ends at the San Pedro Square Market and is scheduled to begin right before lunch (11am) this Saturday. More info below:

JUNE BLOOMS DOWNTOWN WITH SAN PEDRO SQUARE WALKING TOUR THIS WEEKEND

This weekend enjoy a great opportunity to discover some of the unknown stories of San Jose and also support San Jose Walks & Talks, whose aim is to help students uncover some of their hidden talents as they prepare for their future careers.

This Saturday our one-hour Adobe to Adobe walking tour will start from the Peralta Adobe in San Pedro Square and visit some well known and some unknown downtown sites. Along the way student-guides tell some of the historic, funny, tragic and surprising stories of San Jose. Our guides are local San Jose students who’ve done their homework about the city of San Jose. Our guests are local residents and a few tourists… just about anyone who enjoys a walk and a talk.

If this weekend doesn’t fit into your schedule future tours can be booked in advance for your group, large or small, by contacting us at www.sanjosewalksandtalks.org Go to our contact page to email us directly and we’ll be back in touch right away.

Our tours start in various neighborhoods downtown and are designed as a circular. Most tours cover somewhere between 2 to 3 miles and the starting location and time is sent to you by email confirmation. Public tours for individuals are currently free of charge but we hope if you enjoy the tour you’ll consider tipping the student guides. For private groups there is a nominal charge – contact us for more details.

Downtown San Jose Courthouse Funded and Breaking Ground Next Month

2013-06-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

Santa Clara County is building a brand new $230 million Family Justice Center bordering St. James Park. The building will only be eight-stories tall, but will take up nearly a quarter million square feet on the block bound by West St. James, North First, DeVine, and North Market. The building will contain 20 court rooms and consolidate various courts throughout the San Jose area. This will also open multiple new development opportunities throughout Downtown.

Groundbreaking is scheduled to happen on July 16th!

Source: SJBJ

HP Pavilion will be Renamed SAP Center

2013-06-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

Software giant SAP is going to be taking over naming rights for the HP Pavilion, which was previously the Compaq Center and the San Jose Arena before that. The founder of SAP happens to be the majority owner of the Sharks, so it makes sense. The city is going to receive $1.675 million each year for the five year term of the contract and the Sharks will receive an equal amount.

I have to be honest, I'm not a huge fan of the name. Instead of calling it "S-A-P" Center, I can see people calling it the "sap" Center. What is the urban dictionary definition of a sap?

A fool; someone who is prone to being taken advantage of, or who has been taken advantage of, usually in a situation that is easily perceived by others as foolhardy.

So based on branding implications alone, I prefer the HP Pavilion. I think I'll just continue to call it the Shark Tank or San Jose Arena for now. What do you guys think?

Source: The Merc

Saturday Stats: Santa Clara County is Growing the Fastest in California

2013-06-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

There was a substantial population boom in Silicon Valley during 2012. Santa Clara County grew by an astounding 1.6% over the year, more than any other major county in all of California. The state average for population growth was half that at 0.8%. San Mateo, Alameda, and San Francisco also grew by over 1% but nothing matched Santa Clara County. This is great news. Since there is very little room for sprawl left in the Valley, as population grows our cities are becoming more dense. As density rises, the average cost of delivering services to residents should decrease while the market for world-class amenities increases. Congestion will also increase, but that will hopefully push government to improve public transit infrastructure throughout Santa Clara County.

Source: SVBJ

6th Annual SubZERO Festival TODAY!

2013-06-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

South FIRST FRIDAYS presents the 6th Annual SubZERO Festival

Focused on emerging and present subcultures thriving in our region, SubZERO is a diy, artistically bent, hi/lo-techno mashup where street meets geek. Come downtown on June 7th to San Jose's SoFA District from 6pm 'til midnight for an inspired evening of arts & culture. In addition to the South FIRST FRIDAYS monthly art walk you'll find outdoor stages of entertainment plus artists, performers & musicians celebrating the indie creative spirit!

FRIDAY JUNE 7, 2013 from 6pm-midnight
SoFA district in downtown San Jose
(on South First Street between San Carlos & Reed Streets)

http://www.subzerofestival.com/

Be sure to follow us on Twitter (http://twitter.com/@subzerofestival) and keep in touch here on Facebook to keep up with the latest news as the festival approaches.

2013 SubZERO Artists/Creative Vendors
Alan Hackler
André Hart
Al Preciado
Alfredo Reyes
Appletats
Art Alive Gallery
Artist As Specimen
Avery Palmer
Baysics Clothing
Beadworker
Becca's Studio
Black & Brown
Black Cat Collective
Black Lotus Clothing
Blitz Fashion Show
Bloco del Sol
Blunt Letters
Bryan Lovo
Bugs and Monsters
Canvas Ghost
Cardoboard Box Theater
Chivaz Wear
Christian Cabuay
Classic Loot
CODAME:
Josh Nimoy
Reza Ali
Xavi Vives Riba
James Morgan
Superdeux
Vinit Patil
Ed Key + David Kanaga,
Starpause
Dan Lynch
Lucas Calderin & Spencer Poff
#OUTERBODY
Content Magazine
Corpus Callosum
Crossroads Trading
Current Tattooing
Cynthia Gonzalez
David Canavese
David Mejia
Death Before Dishonor
Dorothy Whitman
EcoMonster
Effie's Heart
Faerie Goatmother
Fernando Amaro
Francisco Franco
Frank Aguilar
Friends With Benefits
Galactic Romance
Gianfranco Paolozzi
Good Karma Bikes
Groovepainter Micah
Higher Fire Clayspace & Gallery
iMINUSd
Jai Rodriguez
James Pollard
Jean Davis
Jeff Hemming
Jim Fonsenca
Jodi Mascarenas
Jose Angeles
Joshua Quinonez
Julie Bilyeu
Jumble Jimbles
Kathryn Hedges
Keith Bunnell
Knotty Boards
Kori Thompson
Korrupt Label
Laptop Orchestra at SCU
Lauren Baines Dance Co
LAuruS Myth
Loopy Cam by Tim Thompson
Lucy and Mabel Jewelry
Luna Park Chalk Arts Festival
Marie and Chris
Matthew Lopez
Matthew Seigel
Mejia Arts
Michele Guieu
Mighty Mike McGee
Morgan Richardson
noa-
The One Thousand Thousand Project
Oversocial MOFO Revue
Persephone Dance Company
POPS Fabrication
Radio KKUP 91.5fm
Revolights
Rock 'n the Trend
Sam Raske
Sandi Billingsley
San Jose Bike Clinic
San Jose Bike Valet
San Jose Rock Shop
San Jose Yarnbombers
Seasoned
Showroom by The Usuals
SJ Rockage
SLG /ArtBoutiki
South Bay Circus Arts
Steamy Tech
Steven Haman
Steven Reece
SV Roller Girls
Tahira: The Pure Dance Theatre
tappr.tv
Techshop San Jose
There There
Tinkertart
Tiny Splendor
Villainette
Wesley Wright
Wigglerama
Zatoon Clothing
Zenning

BLITZ Fashion Show

3 Stages of Music featuring:
Adira Shark
Brother Grand
Corpus Callosum
Druniverse
Halo Between
Haptic Synapses
Mad Noise
Mark Camp (aka Astronout)
Rin Tin Tiger
The Seaons
Silent Pictures
Together We Are Robots
The Wild Reeds

Better Brew Tasting Garden, sponsored by Lagunitas & hosted by BetterBeerBlog

Delicious array of Food Trucks:
Banjara Bistro
Barefoot Coffee
Cheese Bandits
Eat On Monday
MoBowl Food Truck
MoGo BBQ
O Mi Ninja
Quick Dog
ScopsSJ
Soulnese
Twisted Chill

SubZERO Festival is made possible by the artists & creatives listed above and by these amazing sponsors:
Lagunitas Brewing
San Jose Downtown Association
DICE
TechShop SJ
PayPal
ZipCar
Bay Brewer's Guild
Metro
1st ACT

InvenSense is Moving to San Jose

2013-06-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

InvenSense is the leading provider of motion tracking devices in consumer electronics. These include gyroscopes, accelerators, compasses, and pressure sensors that you would find in today's smartphones, tablets, video game systems, smart TVs, and upcoming tech like Google Glass.

The company is rapidly growing and needs more space, so they have decided to ditch their 51,000 SQFT office in Sunnyvale and move to 130,000 SQFT near SJC. The building used to be occupied by Borcade before they moved to their shiny new headquarters in the @First area.

The larger footprint will also mean more hires. They could increase their number of US employees from 197 all the way up to 430 with this new space. InvenSense is definitely a welcome addition to the vast portfolio of tech companies currently in San Jose.

Source: SVBJ

Wednesday Wishlist: Amazing Architecture, Even with Height Limits

2013-06-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I have done a Wednesday Wishlist, but when I saw this building design in the development forums it blew my mind and I had to share. The best part is something like this is entirely doable within Downtown San Jose's height limits. Check out the design of the PARKROYAL Hotel in Singapore.

Source: San Jose Development Forum, Freshome Design & Architecture

EPIC NEWS! Downtown San Jose Getting a SECOND San Pedro Square Market!

2013-06-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

Downtown San Jose has been having a pretty good year so far. The restaurant scene is exploding, high-rises are breaking ground, MUJI opened, the convention center expansion is almost done, huge new festivals are being planned, and now this...

I consider myself to be pretty plugged in to what's going on Downtown, but I can honestly say that I did not see this one coming. Reading this news in the Business Journal today was like getting a surprise gift you were not expecting for Christmas.

AEDIS Architecture and Planning is building a small project similar to the San Pedro Square Market in the SoFA District! The project will clock in at 7,500 SQFT, will have an artsy vibe to be consistent with the SoFA area, and will contain around 10 food and retail vendors! There are already four potential vendors and they really want to secure a bar, wine bar, or beer garden to be one of those 10. None of these will be large chains, all will be unique independent shops like the San Pedro Square Market. Integrating an art gallery is another possibility.

Not only will it front South First Street, but there is also an interior courtyard that will be part of the project. Above the retail will be a new 9,000 SQFT office (which is also being partially sublet). This is all located at 371-387 South First across the street from Cafe Stritch and Anno Domini. Launch is targeted for November. 2013 keeps getting better and better for Downtown!

Source: SVBJ

One South Market

2013-06-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all those that came out to the Market Beer Co. to celebrate the ground breaking of One South Market! Hope you guys enjoyed the beers, I know I did. For those skeptical on whether our celebration was premature, here is the official press release from Essex properties which came out on Friday (good timing eh? ;)

PALO ALTO, CA--(Marketwired - May 31, 2013) - Essex Property Trust, Inc. (NYSE: ESS), announced today the purchase of a land parcel and commencement of construction on an apartment community located in downtown San Jose, California. The twenty-three story property will contain 312 homes and approximately 6,000 square feet of ground floor retail space. The Company expects the community to cost approximately $145 million and will begin leasing in the spring of 2015.

The Company has entered into a co-investment partnership with an institutional investor for the development of the community. The Company will have a 55% interest in the venture and will earn customary management fees and may earn a promoted interest.

Each home will have luxury finishes and floor to ceiling windows. Amenities at the community will include a lap pool, rooftop sun deck with BBQ area, state-of-the-art fitness center, Wi-Fi lounge, and clubhouse. The site is located in the heart of downtown San Jose near high paying jobs, shopping, restaurants, entertainment, and public transportation. Several commercial developments are underway or planned, as the city is seeking to incentivize employers to locate downtown. In addition, there are plans for a BART station across the street from our community which will connect downtown to San Francisco. One South Market scores 97 out of 100 on walkscore.com.

About Essex Property Trust, Inc. Essex Property Trust, Inc., an S&P 400 company, is a fully integrated real estate investment trust (REIT) that acquires, develops, redevelops, and manages apartment communities located in highly desirable, supply-constrained markets. Essex currently has ownership interests in 166 multifamily properties with an additional 9 properties in various stages of development. Additional information about Essex can be found on the Company's web site atwww.essexpropertytrust.com.

Free WiFi for Downtown San Jose Small Businesses

2013-06-02T20:47:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, Downtown San Jose was recently blanketed with the fastest outdoor public WiFi system in North America. The one problem is that it does not work very well indoors. Fortunately, there is a new program that will help Downtown businesses connect to this network.

The tagline for this program is "Create a Job, Get Free WiFi." Any Downtown employer that hires just one new person in the next few months or opens shop Downtown will receive new indoor boosters to connect to the "Wickedly Fast" WiFi network.

Personally, I think this is a great direction and is the type of thinking needed to help Downtown small businesses succeed. Hopefully we will see more creative ideas like this in the future to promote job creation in San Jose's core.

Source: Sam Liccardo Newsletter

Saturday Stats: San Jose is the #10 Market Nationwide for Job Growth

2013-06-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

Employment in San Jose is up 1.3% since the recession (versus 0.4% for SF), the unemployment rate has fallen 1.1% over the last year, and it has ranked among the top cities in job creation with a Gallup Job Creation Index score of 23. These stats have led to San Jose being ranked as the #10 market for job growth in the US. Why not #1 you ask? The total unemployment is still somehow 8.2%. It is falling fast, but is still higher than most of the other cities on the list. Here is the top 10:

1.) Orlando
2.) Houston
3.) Denver
4.) San Antonio
5.) Louisville
6.) San Francisco
7.) Austin
8.) Columbus
9.) Seattle
10.) San Jose

Source: SVBJ, CreditDonkey

Patxi's Pizza San Jose Location Now Open!

2013-05-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

A new restaurant featuring both Chicago-style deep dish and thin-crust pizzas is now open at Crescent Village in North San Jose. This is far from your typical cookie-cutter chain pizza place. It has an innovative Pic-a-Pie system that lets you order a Chicago-style pizza without having to wait the typical 35min for it to bake, and since it is Silicon Valley of course you do this on a tablet. They have 3-wheel delivery bikes that will transport residents of Crescent Village to and front the restaurant and also be used to deliver pizzas. Various "green" elements have been used in construction including salvaged wood from Cal Memorial Stadium and antique furnishings. There is also a full bar and out door seating. Sounds like a great addition to the area! For more info, check out the press release below:

Update: Pic-a-Pie and 3-wheel bikes are coming soon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today partners Francisco “Patxi” Azpiroz and William Freeman announce the much-anticipated opening of their ninth Bay Area location, their first in San Jose.

Patxi’s Pizza (pronounced PAH-cheese. ‘t’ before ‘x’), one of the most loved pizza restaurants in San Francisco, opens their first San Jose location tomorrow, Tuesday, May 21 at 11 AM in the new resort-style mixed-use apartment complex at Crescent Village at 3350 Zanker Road, Suite 30, San Jose, CA, 95134.

Says Freeman of the opening, “We’re thrilled to bring Patxi’s to San Jose—we feel like the area is really underserved in terms of dining. Plus, what goes better with the tech industry than pizza? We think our customers coming from the tech space in particular will enjoy the launch of our Predictive Pizza Ordering System, Pic-a-Pie, not to mention ordering our pies for delivery to their offices or getting out and enjoying happy hour with coworkers. We think Patxi’s will be a great addition to the neighborhood.”

COMING SOON: Patxi’s San Jose is excited to introduce special 3-wheel style delivery bikes that will be used to transport residents of Crescent Village to and from the restaurant. Patxi’s will also use these alternative, green modes of transportation to deliver hot, fresh pizzas to the Crescent Village residents.

The Restaurant

Upon entering the space, in the newly constructed resort-style mixed-use complex, guests are welcomed to an inviting space with a rustic, yet contemporary atmosphere.

Industrial-style chrome lighting fixtures, exposed brick walls and reclaimed wood coupled with the warm color scheme and inviting floor plan bring a rustic yet modern feel to the 80-seat dining room.
Salvaged wood from Cal Memorial Stadium at UC Berkeley (c. 1923) was used to create the custom bar- and table-tops created for Patxi’s by local Berkeley furniture purveyor, The Wooden Duck.
Antique mirrors hang above the full bar with seating for 11, making it the perfect locale for a casual lunch with friends, intimate after-work drinks or a company happy hour, and includes handicapped seating.
An open kitchen window invites guests to watch as their pizzas and small plates are handcrafted to complete the dining experience. Guests who enjoy dining al fresco will delight in the open patio dining space for 20.
For guests’ convenience Patxi’s and the new Crescent Village offer complimentary underground parking.

The Menu

Patxi’s menu features a standout family of pizzas and an array of salads and small plates. Says Executive Chef / Partner Patxi Azpiroz, “Here at Patxi’s we happily renounce stovetops, deep fryers and freezers. Instead we prepare all of our dishes using fresh ingredients, sourced locally when possible.”

Patxi’s is perhaps most famous for their flagship Chicago-style Stuffed Pizza: a deep dish pizza with a layer of crust on the bottom, followed by toppings and cheese, all covered by another thin layer of dough, and topped with homemade sauce. The stuffed style is also available with a whole-wheat crust.
New to the family, and introduced after much testing in 2012, the Thin Crust Pizza, made with extra fine, imported ‘00’ flour and hand-pulled to perfection is a new take on a traditional Italian style pizza crust. Whole-Wheat and Gluten Free options are available for the thin crust pie.
The menu features chef-tested pizza topping combinations and a Create Your Own Pizzaoption, where guests can create their own pizza with myriad fresh toppings, four styles of mozzarella and over 30 different meat and veggie toppings. With vegan cheese and crust, and gluten free crust options, there is sure to be something for every diner.
Pic-a-Pie – COMING SOON!

Patxi’s San Jose location will soon be offering the Pic-a-Pie™ Predictive Pizza Ordering System—a proprietary, patent-pending algorithm that allows guests to enjoy Patxi’s signature Chicago-style Stuffed Pizza without the 35-minute window of time it typically takes to bake. The Pic-a-Pie™ system allows guests to Pic their Pie from a queue of near-ready pizzas shown on a sleek tablet. Pic-a-Pie™ offers guests a fast, fun and easy alternative to waiting for their pizza. Guests can “claim” their pizzas when dining in or when calling in carryout-out or delivery orders. More information available upon request.

In addition to pizza, Patxi’s features an array of small plates great for sharing including the Burrata Bruschetta, featuring creamy burrata cheese, basil pesto, and tomato confit, served with warm focaccia; and the Meatball, which is inspired by a long-time Boston-Italian family recipe and features sustainably raised beef and a Chicago-style Italian sausage braised in a house made tomato sauce and topped with basil and Grana Padano cheese.

In lieu of dessert, Patxi’s offers honey for the “bones” or crust of the pizza—the perfect way to enjoy those last remnants of crust after the meal.

Guests can also enjoy fresh salads and beverages including a full bar. Complete menu is here. Photos available upon request.

PATXI’S PIZZA LOCATIONS

San Francisco

Fillmore: 3318 Fillmore Street San Francisco, 94123, 415.345.3995

Hayes Valley: 511 Hayes Street San Francisco, 9410, 415.558.9991

Irving: 822 Irving Street San Francisco, 94122, 415.759.9000

Noe Valley: 4042 24th Street San Francisco, 94114, 415.285.2000

Campbell: 1875 South Bascom Ave, Suite 405 The Pruneyard Shopping Center, 408.559.0700

Palo Alto: 441 Emerson Street Palo Alto, 94301, 650.473.9999

Lafayette: 3577 Mt. Diablo Blvd. Lafayette, 94549, 925.299.0700

San Jose: 3350 Zanker Road, San Jose, CA, 95134

Livermore: 2470 1st St, Livermore, CA, 94550

Denver

Cherry Hills: 3455 South University Boulevard, Unit B, Englewood CO, 80113, 303.783.2000

Cherry Creek: 185 Steele Street, Denver, CO, 80206, 303.331.1000

ABOUT PATXI’S PIZZA

www.patxispizza.com

Founded in 2004 by two friends, entrepreneur Bill Freeman and pizza expert Francisco “Patxi” Azpiroz, Patxi’s Pizza offers authentic Chicago- and Italian-style pizza, featuring two distinct, handcrafted styles of dough, four types of mozzarella and over 30 different fresh meat and veggie toppings (ingredients sourced locally whenever possible). Patxi’s Pizza (pronounced pah-cheese) is privately owned and operated with a total of 11 locations between the San Francisco Bay Area and Denver, CO. Patxi’s Pizza was ranked #84 by Inc. Magazine’s Top 100 Hire Power Companies of 2012 and named among the Top 10 “Most Life-Changing Pizzas” of 2012 by Esquire Magazine.

Through its 52 Weeks of Giving program, Patxi’s donates a portion of its profits to local nonprofit organizations dedicated to education and children’s health and welfare – totaling over $141,000 in donations to date.

Empire Seven Studios Announces New Mural on 8th and Empire Streets

2013-05-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

Japantown has received yet another cool mural! Bay Area artists Poesia & Sam Rodriguez have partnered with Empire Seven Studios to paint a mural on 8th and Empire Streets. The mural took a week from conception to completion and shows human figures in motion within a complex intersection of geometric shapes and bold colors. Both artists are known for their work as graffiti artists and various methods of layering and manipulating textures. The goal of this mural is to beautify the neighborhood and to build a connection through public art to bring communities together.

Source: Empire Seven Studios

San Jose Greek Festival this Weekend!

2013-05-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

One of the largest ethnic festivals in the South Bay is going down this weekend, and we have a free pass for you! The San Jose Greek Festival is a celebration of Greek food, music, and culture and takes place outside St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church at 1260 Davis Street. The event actually runs three whole days starting this Friday.

There are a couple of new food items this year, including a vegetarian gyro. Greek is not always the most vegetarian-friendly cuisine around, but rest assured you will have some great options this year if you don't eat meat. For those that do, you can never go wrong with the lamb! Another new item this year is an olive medley that will be served at the Greek wine and cheese booth.

To get in for free, either print out the blue flier below or load it up on your phone at the festival entrance. To learn more about the festival, just click one of the links below:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SJGREEKFESTIVAL
Instagram: http://instagram.com/sjgreekfestival
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sjgreekfestival

Hampton Inn Facelifts Planned Downtown San Jose Hotel

2013-05-28T18:51:00.000-07:00

When Hampton Inn revealed the initial design for their new 162-room Downtown San Jose hotel at Santa Clara Street and Highway 87, you could hear the groans a mile away. It looked completely generic and more appropriate for a strip mall in Anywhere, USA. Personally, I think this original design looks like a convalescent home.

The good news is the second draft looks better, I'll let you be the judge of how much. I like the the improved use of glass in the corners, that is my favorite part of the new design. The textured brown walls are also a step up from the white and gray of the original. I still can't help but to think that they could have Silicon Valleyed this up much more and went with radical colors that would stand out and Aloft-style LED lighting. For something that can easily be seen from Highway 87, people walking from the HP Pavilion, and the San Pedro area... they could still do a lot more.

What do you guys think?

Source: San Jose Development Forum

Before

After

Game Seven - It's Go Time!

2013-05-28T15:44:00.002-07:00

(Hat tip to Sharks Sports and Entertainment's social sites for the image.)

Sunday night, we did it - the Sharks beat the Kings to force a Game Seven in Los Angeles.

As noted in an earlier post, Sharks fans should really care about this one. If the Sharks manage to down the Kings in tonight's game, this will be the best shot at the Stanley Cup the team has ever had. Other than the Sharks, there are no teams in the playoffs right now with as much defense, coupled with equally impressive offense, as the Kings. The Boston Bruins is about as tough as an Eastern Conference team can get, and the two Western Conference teams remaining, the Detroit Red Wings and the Chicago Blackhawks, are tough, but may not be able to weather the storm either the Sharks or the Kings may put out this post-season.

During the post-season, both Sharks coach Todd McLellan and Kings coach Darryl Sutter have heavily modified their lines for the greatest output, whether it is properly matching up against opposing players or putting together unbelievable special teams to take advantage of any power play they can get. While some fans beg to differ, from an objective standpoint (by simply counting penalties from past game scoresheets), the referees have been pretty consistent in penalizing both sides. In Game Six, for example, after giving the Sharks a couple power plays, the referees made some questionable calls against the Sharks, although I seemed to be okay with their decisions to give both teams chances to score on power play advantages.

Tonight's game, statistically, will be a bit of an uphill battle for the Sharks. The most obvious conclusion is the home ice advantage for both teams (i.e. all wins have taken place on home ice). While it is arguable the Kings outplayed the Sharks so far this series in Game Five only (based on my interpretation of puck control and scoring opportunities), the Sharks have made far more devastating errors during the Series to provide the Kings with the edge. Many may remember Brad Stuart's giveaway in Game One or the game changing 5 on 3 penalty kill in the closing minutes of Game Two.

Predicting a Kings victory tonight would only be predicated on the obvious: the Sharks have yet to win in Los Angeles this post season. Many seem to forget the dominating performance during Game Two due to the devastating outcome in the final two minutes. The Sharks really need to focus on playing their game with raw, positive emotion, and allowing the team's defense to stand strong and keep the puck in the Kings' zone. Kings' goaltender Jonathan Quick needs to be heavily screened, and the Sharks need to pepper him with shots. (Quick is very human - remember T.J. Galiardi's snipe in Game Six?)

We've seen this before. Beating the Kings at home is a very possible situation. (Remember when the Sharks closed out the Kings in Round One of the 2011 Playoffs?) Look at the overall statistics and not simply the home versus away games.

Both teams are going to play tonight like it is Game Seven of the Finals, because in a way, it very might well be.

The NHL's two toughest teams are going to battle tonight. Let us hope we emerge victorious, and turn this "homer series" into a "homer and away series." Go Sharks!

Casual One South Market Groundbreaking Party for The San Jose Blog Readers!

2013-05-27T18:00:00.000-07:00

I promised that when the next Downtown High-Rise broke ground, I would have a little celebration for our readers and buy a round of beers. That is exactly what is happening this Saturday, June 1st at the Market Beer Co. (in the San Pedro Square Market) at 3 PM.

Originally, I was going to get a keg, but I think I have a much better idea... craft beer tasting! I'm going to buy at least 10 bomber bottles of a wide variety of phenomenal craft beers (IPAs, Porters, Lambics, etc). All you need to do is grab a glass and sample as many as you'd like. Just look for the bench or table covered in bottles. Hope to see you guys there!

Tokyo Flight Is Back On!

2013-05-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

ANA is resuming direct flights from SJC to Japan starting on June 1st on shiny new (and hopefully battery-problem free) Boeing 787 aircraft. They have also upped the ante with five weekly round trips as opposed to four. Sometime in September the service will expand again to daily flights (seven each week).

Hopefully they will have some good promotions to welcome the route back to San Jose! Any guesses as to which international route SJC will land next?

Source: SVBJ, What a Trip

A Must Win Situation

2013-05-26T16:57:00.002-07:00

The NHL playoff series many have dubbed "The Homer Series," due to all wins occurring on home ice, is back in San Jose, and with the series on the line this afternoon, the Sharks must win to force a Game Seven in Los Angeles.

Despite the Kings being ahead in the series 3-2, their Game Five victory was quite possibly the first time one could suggest they outplayed the Sharks. The Sharks need to eliminate their bad mistakes (e.g. some terrible giveaways that lead to goals) and figure out Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick (the reason the Kings have made it this far) so they can win the next two games. The path to victory is not unattainable. If there is one team that can beat the Kings, it is the Sharks.

Here is why the fans should care this year, more than any time in the past. The winner of this series will be a favorite to win the Stanley Cup. I do not state this simply because the Los Angeles Kings won last year. The reason is both the Sharks and the Kings have strong defensive strategies, coupled with dangerous special team outputs (i.e. are particularly successful on both power plays and penalty kills).

It it interesting to watch, year after year, how much attention is given to the Eastern Conference, in particular the bold predictions how a team out of the East will be the most successful in the playoffs. Currently, there are two teams left in the East: the Pittsburgh Penguins, a team with flashy young players, and the Boston Bruins, a rugged team with plenty of talent who won the Stanley Cup only two years ago.

The problem with the East is the focus on offense. Undoubtedly, the goal output from that conference is high, and it is common for players to score multiple points per game. It is easy to see why some would pick an Eastern team to win. They can score.

Now, try to match up an Eastern Conference team with a Western Conference team and see how well they play. For example, on one of the more rare occurrences during the regular season when the Sharks match up against a team from the East, the Sharks normally win. The problem the East has is their inability to score against a team with an actual defense. This is where teams like the Penguins and the Bruins will fall short.

(I have to say, though, it is nice seeing ex-Shark Douglas Murray playing so well.)

With all this attention brought to the Eastern Conference, what about the Western Conference? Two additional dynamite teams, the Presidents' Trophy winning Chicago Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings are still fighting to win as well.

Despite being an unstoppable force for the past two decades, winning four Stanley Cups, the Red Wings are now considered to be making a Cinderella run so far this post-season, knocking out the second seeded Anaheim Ducks, and are currently at an advantage over the first seeded Blackhawks, putting them on the brink of elimination.

If the Sharks can manage to beat the Kings, they're up against one of two teams in the Western Conference Finals: a beatable Red Wings team (just look up the Sharks's recent history against the Red Wings), or an under-performing Blackhawks team that has yet to face the revamped Sharks team.

The Sharks team has said it themselves by stating the reason their "at home success" is so high is because of the fans. Let us all get behind our team today, tomorrow, and for as long as you can! We must win!

We need to get in that advantageous third round position. GO SHARKS!