If you never thought ultimate fighting and Shakespeare would appear in the same sentence, then you've never met San Jose Rep's artistic director, Rick Lombardo!
In his inaugural production for the company's 2009/10 season, Lombardo deftly adapts Shakespeare's well-known comedy As You Like It to the modern era, complete, yes, with ultimate fighting. The modern staging of the play - with its impressive sets (notably the high-tech screens that create vivid backdrops), lighting and stage direction - brings to mind the brilliance of director Baz Luhrmann's work in the film Romeo & Juliet.
But back to the stage. While the direction and staging are incredible, that's nothing without good acting, and the cast here certainly delivers. Notable performances come from the large roles of James Carpenter as Jacques and Anna Bullard as Rosalind, while Steve Irish is brilliant as the clownish Touchstone, Sepideh Moafi is utterly charming whenever she's on stage, and Jeanette Penley is hilarious as the rambunctious Phebe.
Think you don't like Shakespeare? Let Rick Lombardi convince you otherwise with this superb staging, and get thee to the Repertory theatre, now!
As You Like It plays at the San Jose Repertory Theatre (101 Paseo de San Antonio) through Sept. 27. For tickets call (408) 367-7255, or go to www.sjrep.com
Yes, we love this band (see our interview and footage of their Santa Cruz show here). We're fairly certain they will be the most talked-about performance this year... besides, of course, The Mars Volta, which hit the stage in a few hours. Stay tuned for those pics.
For perhaps the first time in history, a sweater was not needed in San Francisco. Maybe it was global warming, maybe it was a heat wave, but most likely it was the scorching music burning up Golden Gate Park on Friday, the first day of the three-day aural orgy.
Highlights for the day included Akron/Family, San Fran's own The Dodos, emo darlings Built to Spill (who heavily influenced Death Cab), Bay Area radio stars Silversun Pickups, The National, and more. Headliners included Incubus and Pearl Jam, whose set was described by one fan as, "It was like church. Everybody was singing along. It was too uncomfortable. We left."
With Twilight fever having swept the nation over the past few years, and the ongoing popularity of HBO’s True Blood, the mythical creatures that are vampires have never been more mainstream.
For fans of author Richelle Mead, today is a big day as it’s the day they make their Blood Promise. The fourth book in Mead’s New York Times best-selling Vampire Academy series, Blood Promise arrives in bookstores today. And better yet – the writer will be in town later this week to discuss the series with her fans. Catch Mead at Books Inc. Palo Alto (Town & Country Village, corner Embarcadero and El Camino Real www.booksinc.com) this Thursday, 27 Aug. from 7pm.
For more on the series, go to www.vampireacademybooks.com. For more on the author, go to www.richellemead.com.
A bit about Vampire Academy, for those who have been buried too deep in Twilight to investigate other vamp fiction:
Vampire Academy has now over 1.5 million copies in print and has been touted as the series to fill the void for avid Twilight fans. USA Today singled out Vampire Academy as the newest teen series to watch when it asked, “You’ve raced through Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight. Now what?” After the thrilling cliffhanger in Shadow Kiss: Vampire Academy Book Three, readers will be clamoring to pick up Blood Promise to determine whether or not love and loyalty run deeper than blood.
We're getting excited for San Francisco's Outside Lands Festival in a couple of weeks. We're particularly excited to revisit the nostalgia of '90s music when Pearl Jam plays Friday night (Aug. 28). They've got a new album coming out on Sept. 20 called Backspacer, so expect them to play a lot of new stuff, like this track called "The Fixer." Pretty darn good if you ask us. Rock on.
We just got word that due to our recent post about a major OSL announcement looming, Another Planet has been inundated with calls. We want to clarify: it will NOT be a major headliner announcement. The line-up for OSL is already set. What we were alluding to is merely a really cool technical addition to the festival this year. So just hold your horses and stay tuned. Thanks!
Yesterday, we had a chat with Outside Lands fest promoter Allen Scott of Another Planet Entertainment. At the moment, we're sitting on a huge announcement that we think will make music fans drool with excitement. Unfortunately, we have to sit on this "off the record" tidbit for a little bit longer. But believe us, it's awesome! So stay tuned.
In the meantime, we do have some info on what's new this year at OSL.
1. Last year, Radiohead was the first band ever to play in Golden Gate Park at night. Tom Petty and Jack Johnson soon followed. Previously, live music at the park was shut off at 7pm. Not sure why. Scott says it was due to some outdated city ordinances.
This year, Scott says an additional stage will offer music after dark. So, he says, an hour into Pearl Jam's set on Friday, Aug. 28, you can walk over and see Thievery Corporation; and an hour into Dave Matthews set on Sat. Aug. 29, you can go see The Mars Volta. Pretty cool stuff.
2. Also, a mind-blowing tent -- wood and glass interior -- called The Barbary was added in the back of the polo fields. This cabaret-themed mecca is a "freak show" of sorts, according to Scott. It will feature local bands, comedians, artists and more.
3. The bicycle valet was expanded this year from 3,000 to 4,000 bikes. And SF-based Bauer's charter buses -- they provide service for Google employees -- will be providing shuttle service throughout the city.
4. Scott said a goal of OSL is to offer 100 percent local vendors at the festival. Last year, 40 percent of the vendors were local. This year, Scott says 70 percent of all vendors will be from San Francisco. It's the only festival that comes close to this local angle.
By the way, do you know why it's called Outside Lands Festival? In the 19th Century, the Sunset District, East of Van Ness, was all sand dunes. It was referred to as the "Outside Lands."
As many of you probably know, we will be front and center at this year's Outside Lands Festival, a three day music fest featuring the likes of Pearl Jam, Incubus, Black Eyed Peas, The Mars Volta, Modest Mouse, The Dead Weather, Dave Matthews Band and Tenacious D.
We'll be snapping pictures and recording the greatest Flip-ing video footage ever! In preparation of our descent down the music rabbit hole, we had the privilege of chatting with Jack Black and Kyle Glass (a Walnut Creek native) of Tenacious D, as well as none other than Dave Matthews himself.
But let's be clear about our conversation. To those who aren't privy to the inner workings of the press, please allow us to besiege a bit of disappointing and unglamorous knowledge on you fine folks. Our conversation with these gods of rock was part of a collective phone conference with publicists and other journos. What transpires is usually a muddy conversation wherein the subjects get to rant and rave and goof around while we journos can just listen and wait our turn (Example: press star 1 to get in line to ask a question). Full transcript at the end.
Nevertheless, Jack Black is hilarious, even on the phone.
On Modest Mouse:
Jack Black: We burned some mother down that night. And Modest Mouse was all up our butt
wanting to hang with us, and we’re like who are you chumps? We got to go hang with like the Mayor
of Texas. If I could turn back time, I would crawl right up their butts and create a rip in the time butt
continuum.
On plans to rock San Francisco on Aug. 30:
Jack Black: Oh. And yes, we’re going to close it out, and I just want to say one thing. If there’s any dogs barking on the day August 30 before we go on, don’t be alarmed. That’s just them sensing the earthquake of rock that’s coming. Dogs have an innate sense when a gigantic rock storm is coming. That’s all it is.
I’m seriously afraid for California because we haven’t rocked for a while. We haven’t rocked since Redding and London, and there’s so much buildup that when we let loose, it may – it may shake the foundations of the – what’s that fault line ((inaudible))?
Kyle Glass: San Andréa’s?
Jack Black: The San Andreas. And California may be shaking loose from the rest of the country. And the question is when that crack in the earth happens and it comes between your legs, where are you going? Are you going with America, or are you going to jump on California Island? You have to make a (split-cision) decision, or else you’re going down in the lava.
Download the full interview with Jack Black, Kyle Glass and Dave Matthews here.
View a video of DMB's new video Funny the Way It Is here. (Sorry, Youtube has disabled the embeds).
The "Have a Ball” Golf Tourney is happening right now (July 17) at Sunnyvale Municipal Golf Course, 605 Macara Ave., Sunnyvale (408) 738-3666. Get there quick to join the party!
Developed by two-time testicular cancer survivor, Bob Hammer, this appropriately-named golf tournament has raised more than $500,000 for cancer research in the past four years. Hammer started the foundation after meeting Lance Armstrong’s oncologist, who encouraged Hammer not to have surgery that would have prevented him from having children. Long story short, Josh Hammer, Bob’s naturally conceived son, is now five years old.
A heartwarming story to start the week: A Peninsula family last week became the new owner of the Sharks Playhouse, courtesy of Rebuilding Together Peninsula (RTP) with the support of the Sharks Foundation.
We ran a feature a few issues ago in The Wave [Vol. 09, Iss. 08] about RTP’s Dreams Happen playhouse project – where every other year, 15 pint-sized dream homes are sold or raffled off to fund the organization, which helps low-income families rehabilitate their homes and community facilities. One of the playhouses was Sharks themed, and it was this house that was raffled off for $10 a ticket.
In a poignant twist of fate, the winning ticket belonged to Will, an eight year-old twin boy who only days earlier had lost his father to a three-year battle with cancer. Will, his twin Carl, and their four-and-three-quarter year-old sister Sarah were all big Sharks fans, as was their dad, and one of the last things they did with their father before he fell sick was go to a Sharks game.
Even more fateful, the winning ticket was drawn on June 6, which would have been Will’s parents’ 11th wedding anniversary. "Winning felt like a message on our anniversary," said Will’s mom Daisy. "I can't help but think my husband had something to do with it. This is a difficult time in [the kids'] lives but now, when they look at Shark House, they will think of their dad and know good things can still happen."
To celebrate this moving story, many people were on hand to see the Sharks playhouse take up its new home last Wednesday, July 8. Crane services were donated, and dramatically hoisted the 12-foot playhouse into the backyard, while Sharks players Torry Mitchell, Joe Paveiski and Devin Setoguchi were on hand to help the kids get to know their new playhouse. Will, Carl and Sarah's father's personal hockey skates will be placed inside Shark House in his memory.
You'll soon be reading our rants and raves for Voodoo Lounge in the upcoming Readers' Choice issue, out July 22. The reason is simple: the Downtown San Jose venue is making relentless efforts to bring back the live music scene to the South Bay. What better way to accomplish such a feat than by bringing the swinging? On Friday, July 10, check out Royal Crowne Revue, with support from The Pimpsticks. You can purchase advanced tix here. See ya there.
Tonight marks the opening of Donato Enoteca, a new restaurant in downtown Redwood City. On Friday night, we had the pleasure of sampling the traditional Italian fare and we're still drooling over the marinated lamb skewers with olives; braised wild boar (our favorite); hand-made pizzas, amazing shrimp, and a bit of the exotica with squid ink risotto. Artisan olive oils play a large part in the cuisine, which prompted a tasting sampler on the menu of multiple olive oils.
Other highlights are the more than 80 Italian wines and a stunning grappa collection, the most abundant we've ever seen in a restaurant. The open-air kitchen adds an intimate touch. It allows you to watch the talented Chef Donato Scotti work his magic. Scotti has worked at the Michelin-starred Ristorante Del l'Angelo in Italy and at La Strada in Palo Alto more recently.
Here are a few other menu items: Carpaccio di Polipo – thin-sliced fresh poached octopus with olive oil, celery root and red rock salt ($8).Foiade di Funghi – organic buckwheat pasta with mixed wild mushrooms, garlic, parsley and Grana Padano ($12); and Bigoli e Coda – braised Neiman Ranch ox tail, Sangiovese, tomato, asparagus tips and “bigoli” pasta ($14).Costoletta Alla Milanese – pounded white veal chop breaded and golden with arugula and heirloom tomato salad ($23); Orata e Crostacei – Mediterranean sea bream sautéed with prawns, mussels, clams and tomato sauce ($18).
Local radio station 104.9 must be doing something right. They've brought some really good acts to Downtown San Jose's The Blank Club recently. Last night was Scottish megastars Glasvegas, supported by Detroit rockers Von Bondies (their song "Come On" is featured on the Rescue Me TV show; Jack White of The White Stripes punched the lead singer in the face, etc.) and local boys Audrye Sessions, which had an amazing set. As always, The Wave was there to capture it all.
The fashion forward femmes of Silicon Valley joyously heralded the arrival of Canadian boutique Aritzia at Westfield Valley Fair in late 2007. The female contingent at The Wave has been shopping there regularly ever since, so it's our privilege to share with you a special pre-sale invitation from our good friends at Aritzia.
Simply print or download the vouchers below and bring them to the store for 20-50% off Spring/Summer must-haves from the store's assortment of edgy, trend-conscious labels.
Please join us at our special Private Pre-Sale June 12-17th, 2009. Shop our discounts before anyone else. Up to 20 - 50% off! Simply print out this invitation and present at the time of purchase.
Click here to invite your friends & family to the Pre-Sale and enter for a chance to win a $2500 Shopping Spree at Aritzia! One winner will be awarded per store.
*Printouts must be presented at the time of purchase. No exceptions. *Offer valid at the following US Aritzia locations only: Aritzia Bellevue Square (Bellevue), Aritzia Valley Fair (Santa Clara), Aritzia Washington Square (Portland), Aritzia San Francisco Centre (San Francisco), Aritzia Water Tower Place (Chicago), Aritzia Northbrook Court (Chicago)
Click here to subscribe to Aritzia's email newsletters.
We just got word from the San Jose Downtown Association that the inaugural Dine Downtown event in San Jose is a huge success. The event goes through Saturday, June13, making this the last weekend to sample some of the best food Downtown has to offer. For a complete menu guide to the three-course prix fixe dinners, go here.
Here's what some of the restaurants are saying about this amazing epicurean event: Morocco's – Sham and Jay Dine Downtown has been a blessing for our operation and we both are so thankful for it. From the bite kick off and the amazing traffic it generated. So many downtowners were so surprised to find out about us and that we have been around for 1 year. This event has allowed Morocco's to be advertised at levels that we just can not afford. Thank you once again for this great event.
Downtown Britannia Arms - Margaret We didn't do as much at weekend as we did during the week. But still good.
Paolo’s - Carolyn Seems that the promotion is going well although I have to say it is harder to gauge last week since there was a speaker at the CPA on Thursday and Bocelli at the Arena on Saturday which made those nights huge and may skew the stats a bit. This week may be more of a true indicator.
Inside The Grill on the Alley, by Chris Schmauch
The Grill - John Over the weekend, they served more than 100 prix fixe dinners. They had a good turn out for the city bites which they served in their bar area. A lot of people asked for their menus. Overall the promotion is going well.
Mortons - Frances They have served more than 100 prix fixe dinners so far.
Billy Berk’s - Brad It's going very well for us, so far. I am thinking of how to do this year round.
PF Changs - Todd They had a great weekend. On Sunday night, the manager talked to at least 10 tables that were there because of the promotion, and that was only during a short window of time.
Inside A.P. Stump's, by Chris Schmauch
AP Stumps - Shona We have been very busy with restaurant week- which is great! They’ve had to alter their menu a little to keep up with the prix fixe orders and have already gone thru 100 customer surveys.
Fahrenheit - Eric Its going great for us. We have seen a good 25% increase in food sales last week, with many tables per event coming in specifically for this program. We have done many programs with the downtown association over the past 4 years, and this has been the most successful by far.
After gloomy weather the skies cleared up in time for the SubZERO art festival in San Jose's SoFA district. The blocked streets made way for dozens of booths and vendors, a couple of stages for live music, and of course tons of live street art, from performers to painters to just plain strange folk doing strange things. The SJ Fixed crew has a cool booth set up. During the early evening hours they had the largest crowd by a long shot, packing the street with bikes. The fest is still going on, so if you're reading this and it's still Friday, June 5, you should pack up and head to Downtown San Jose, as the street fest goes strong until around midnight. And as soon as the sun goes down, it's going to get even wilder. See you all there!
For those who don't know, EXIT: Stage Left will stream their season finale LIVE on the internet, something that has never been done before for a show like this. To be a part of the live broadcast audience filmed at San Jose State University, email tickets@lowrytheatercompany.comto request tickets. To read The Wave article about the show and the live event, go here. In the meantime, check out this quirky video of the event starring EXIT director Sinohui Hinojosa and lead actor Michael Navarra.
You got to admire a guy like Hutch Harris, lead singer and guitar player of indie rock band The Thermals. Despite a slow progression with Sub Pop records, and a subsequent split with the label, he is still dedicated to making great rock music. The band has roots in Seattle and Portland, but we won't bore you with the history of the band and their ascent to rock stardom. Besides, that can be read on Wikipedia. Just enjoy the live footage from The Blank Club.
If you're looking for a new spot to have a cocktail, look no further than Billy Berk's in Downtown San Jose. Their happy hour menu -- 3pm - 6pm -- has $5 appetizers, $2 off cocktails and select $4 beers. As for the cocktails, the handmade Caipirinha (pictured above right) made with Leblon Cachaca, a Brazilian rum, sugar, and lime served over ice is a must try. It's the national drink of Brazil, made by smashing limes and sugar together and mixing with rum. If you're looking for something even sweeter, try the strawberry lemon drop (pictured above left) made with real strawberries!
As for appetizers, we like the Fried Zucchini with wasabi aioli, or the Fried Calamari, Lemons & Jalepenos with wasabi aioli and Thai chili vinegar sauce (pictured).
If you're new to the whole Downtown San Jose dining scene, or want to experience its full potential, check out Dine Downtown, an 11 day event running from June 3-13 that sees more than two-dozen Downtown restaurants offering up three prix-fixe three-course meals for $20, $30 and $40. Check out the new issue of the magazine on Wednesday, May 27 for a complete menu guide.
San Jose Bike Party has officially become a phenomenon on wheels. This past weekend welcomed nearly 1,000 riders to the streets of San Jose. Mountain bikes, BMX, road bikes, fixed gears, tandems, couch mobiles, and boom boxes on handmade bike trailers made their way through the valley in a peaceful yet enthusiastic fashion. With an ever changing route, May's bike party led the crowd through Cupertino, across the Mary Avenue birdge, down Santana Row, and back to Campbell where people eventually dispersed with an increasing excitement for next month's ride.
Interested in joining the fun? We'll roll out a few details:
WHEN: Third Friday of every month, 8:30pm (next ride is Friday, June 19th)
WHERE: Dick’s Center parking lot: 1400 S. Bascom Ave, San Jose, CA 95128 (this is right next to the Bascom VTA Light Rail stop)
It's green, it's healthy, and it's fun. Today is Silicon Valley's "Bike to Work Day", encouraging thousands of people to relieve congestion and take a break from another commute behind the wheel. Enjoying a beautiful ride to work, cyclists meet up at various Energizer Stations for breakfast snacks, drinks, and a reusable canvas goody bag full of helpful cycling information and maps. Hopefully you had a chance to ride in this morning. If not, fortunately we've got a summer full of great weather and wonderful trails ahead of us!
On our ride, we stopped at the Meridian Energizer station located in front of Aki's Bakery. They shared some delicious pastries with us and told us all about their family owned business, 40 years in the making! And apparently they bake an amazing Guava cake... We'll be back for sure!
The Wave's Executive Editor, Johnny Brafford, on his way to work this morning with fellow Wavers, Mitchell Alan Parker and Jon Sontag.
MORE BIKE STUFF: Check out the 1st Annual Willow Glen Bike Swap this Sunday, hosted by Willow Glen Bicycles. Coast in for a BBQ, great deals on used bike parts, and a chance to test ride the new Titus mountain bike! If you'd like to sell, get there by 9am to secure a spot. The festivities kick off around 10am and go until 5pm that evening. We'll see you there!
Boogie on the Bayou is back! This Saturday and Sunday Downtown Campbell hosts three outdoor stages with jazz, blues, and funk. Cajun and New Orleans style food paired with great drinks, sunshine, free admission, and free parking make this event impossible to pass up.
In addition to all the excitement and fun both days have to offer, The Cardiff Lounge - The Wave Magazine's "Silicon Valley's #1 DJ Club" - will be home to DJ's Jimmy B from Green Gorilla Lounge and Heather B. Kicking it off at 10pm this Saturday night, May 16, both DJ's will spin it loud and fresh all night long. So get there early, 'cause this club will hit maximum capacity!
The Cardiff Lounge is located at 260 E Campbell Ave., Campbell, CA95008.
It's that time of year again, when the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition urges Bay Area residents to leave their cars behind and commute to work on a bicycle. May 14 marks this year's event, so if you don't have a bike of your own, you have plenty of time to borrow or buy one before Thursday. The best part is the 70 "Energizer Stations" that the coalition sets up all over the valley, where cyclists can receive prizes, biking information and, of course, refreshments. Check out their website for more info on the event and great links to maps so you can plan your route. The coalition points out that 40 percent of Bay Area commuters live within five miles of their workplace. So quit being lazy! Spare the environment and start pedaling!
The ailing economy hasn’t diminished our appetite for dining out, so it’s great to see establishments such as Quattro Restaurant and Bar at the Four Seasons hotel in Palo Alto responding to the economic crunch with some great deals that make fine dining affordable, even in these tight financial times.
At Quattro, the onset of spring inspired a fresh new value-driven tasting menu. For $55, diners can enjoy a five-course menu that showcases the restaurant’s seasonal Northern Italian cuisine (and also showcases executive chef Alessandro Cartumini’s superb pasta dishes). The tasting menu changes daily depending on what’s seasonal, but diners can expect fare such as: Raviolo (a perfectly rich and velvety combination of organic egg yolk, parmigiano and prosciutto); Sea Scallop (seared and served atop a bed of sweet pea risotto, with freshly plucked pea tendrils and preserved lemon); and Beef Tenderloin (the succulent beef comes with spring onion, fava beans, Thumbelina carrots and a sauce that will have you wishing you could lick the plate clean!). For an additional $28, diners can enjoy the wine pairings chosen by the restaurant’s sommelier with each course.
This five course tasting menu is just one of the initiatives taking place at Quattro to appeal to budget-conscious diners. Here are a few more deals to help foodies sate their appetite without breaking the bank: Uncorked Fridays: Each Friday, diners are encouraged to bring wines from their personal collection to enjoy with their dinner. All corkage fees will be waived, and the folks at Quattro will even make suggestions about which dishes will best pair with your chosen wine. Sunday Supper: Every Sunday evening families can enjoy steaming platters of family-style Italian specialties (chef Cartumini even serves up his mama’s famed meatball recipe! Adults pay $25 per person and children under the age of 18 just pay their age. BYO Wine Dinners: On the second Friday of each month, the restaurant is hosting a special “Uncorked” event that sees the chef prepare a seasonal menu designed to be paired with a particular wine. This Friday May 8 the chosen wine is chardonnay – so raid those wine racks and treat that notable bottle to some cuisine worthy of the vintage you’ve been saving!
For more dollar-saving dining deals, keep your eye out for upcoming issues of The Wave Magazine! Quattro Restaurant & Bar, 2050 University Ave., East Palo Alto (650) 566-1200 www.fourseasons.com
In April we reported on our adventures in an airship. The post garnered attention from Briana Iwuji from KQED, which is airing a story on dirigibles tomorrow night, May 5 at 7:30 pm, called "Zeppelins Resurrected". Here are some words from Iwuji: The Hindenburg wasn't the only air ship to end in a catastrophic crash. In 1935, the USS Macon went down in 1000 feet of water off the coast of Monterey, California. Now, as scientists study the recently-discovered wreckage, dirigibles are returning to the Bay Area and are poised to rule the skies once again. But these aren't the same dirigibles - these are new and improved. The story is from QUEST, a science show at KQED, and will be airing on May 5 at 7:30pm.
We stopped by the Bay Area Glass Institute in San Jose for a demonstration on glass blowing by Treg Silkwood, senior instructor at the non-profit school. Check out our new issue on streets May 11 for more on BAGI. For now, here's Silkwood creating a stunning conch shell from molten glass. The first video is him preparing, shaping and coloring the glass. The second video shows the more detailed part.
You've heard it on the raido: a punky, poppy, rocking Scandinavian girl named Ida Maria screaming, "I like you so much better when you're naked / I like me so much better when you're naked." Somehow 104.9 and Blank Club were able to bring this sensational musician to Downtown San Jose on Thursday night for one of the best live sets we've ever seen. Ever.
Sounding like a British incarnation of Janis Joplin, Ida Maria's gravely yet mellifluous vocals and energy exploded on stage, sending the crowd into a frenzy and converting skeptics to the exceptional sound that emanates from this four piece.
Interestingly, Ida Maria is said to have a rare condition known as synesthesia, in which she actually sees colors when she hears music. It's something that Jimi Hendrix raved about when he took psychedelics. For Ida Maria, it just comes naturally. The result is a vibe like nothing else, a confidence unmatched and a sound so colorful, it's intoxicating.
And let's not forget about Suicidal Barfly, which played again last Wednesday. Here's a video of a new song. And go here for their set from two weeks ago.
The wine passport program put on by the Santa Cruz Mountain Winegrowers Association is a great way to discover local wineries and, above all, sample delicious local wine. Every third Saturday in January, April, July and November, passport holders are invited to explore dozens of wineries, indulge in free wine tastings and enjoy the majestic scenery that rivals any locale in the Napa Valley.
On this particular weekend in April, we visited Ridge Winery in Cupertino for some fabulous Zinfandel; the beautiful Cupertino home of the Naumann's for some exquisite Chardonnay and Merlot; the peacock farm of Picchetti Winery in Cupertino for some Red Pavone; and finally the horse ranch and stables of Cooper-Garrod in Saratoga for some unforgettable Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Passports are a reasonable $40 and last until every winery in the book is stamped. You can purchase one at any of the participating wineries, or here.
For now, a few pictures of what you can expect:
The picnic area overlooking Downtown San Jose (pictured up top) at Ridge Vineyards.
Some highly sought-after Ridge Zinfandel in the sunshine...
Some old vines at Ridge Vineyards. At this height, looking to the left, you can see all the way to Oakland.
The spectacular home of the Naumann's, who kindly open their domicile up for wine tasting. They specialize in Merlot, with the vineyard resting just below their house.
A view from the Naumann's porch.
At the Picchetti Winery, there are roaming peacock's everywhere! What a site!
This one was either protecting it's property or was trying to hit on me. I'm not sure.
The tasting room at Picchetti is warmly lit and inviting. I recommend the Pavone, which means peacock in Italian.
An old Ford rests sluggishly at the Cooper-Garrod winery. Why are there so many abandoned cars in Silicon Valley?
The winery is also a working ranch, with dozens of horses! Look for our feature on horseback riding lessons in the new issue out April 27.
Winning the Cinequest 19 Audience Choice Award has meant nothing but good things for San Jose local Mark Tran, the young writer and director of the hit film All About Dad. The film, which was shot right here in San Jose, makes its theatrical debut at Camera 3 on Apr. 17 - 23. Check out the trailer below. We had a brief conversation with the talented movie maker about his new film project, the response to All About Dad and where to find the best Vietnamese food in San Jose.
The Wave: How are things going?
Mark Tran: It’s been busy. Reading a script for a new feature I’m doing. It’s a Vietnam crime drama about Vietnamese gangsters in the early ’90s.
TW: Is it autobiographical like All About Dad?
MT: No, no. [Laughs] Well, not anymore. I try to stay off the radar. [Laughs]
TW: Your film All About Dad is making its theatrical debut at Camera 3 in San Jose on April 17 – 23. What does it feel like to have the success you’ve had in your hometown?
MT: It’s intimidating to be in the spotlight here, but at the same time it’s great to get support from the local community, from where I grew up, from the faculty. I can rely on this built-in audience. I’m relying on the merit of the film here.
TW: We heard it will screen at Camera 12 for two weeks if all goes well; is that correct?
MT: It will play an extra two weeks depending on ticket sales and reviews. We haven’t had the film reviewed in any major newspapers yet. In order to have it play at Camera 12 we need to buy a film print, which costs about $25,000. That’s a good portion of the entire budget of the film.
TW: How much did the film cost to make?
MT: All I can say is that it was made for under $100,000 and above $1.
TW: Did Wes Anderson have a big influence on you and the film?
MT: Absolutely. I’d say he had a big influence on the film, his visual style, the awkward silence moments, and the fact that there are no villains. But I’d say films in general had a big influence on me.
TW: Does your new project have a title yet?
MT: Saigon, California.
TW: Is it a strait up crime drama or is there any dark comedy?
MT: I’d say there’s always room for some comedy, or a character with comic relief. The script was already written though. It’s the first time I’ve ever directed something that’s not my own.
TW: Have you learned a lot since All About Dad?
MT: A lot. I was 22 when I directed All About Dad. It was my first feature. I learned how to speak to actors, learned about writing, how to handle myself on the set. With All About Dad the big thing I learned was to never compromise unless I had to.
TW: Where’s a good place to eat Vietnamese food in San Jose?
MT: I like going to Vung Tau on Santa Clara Street. Really great food. I love it. I eat there a lot.
TW: What would be your dream situation with All About Dad? What would you like to see happen with the film?
MT: It’s tough to say. I’m just trying to stay grounded right now. What already happened exceeded my wildest dreams. What came out was a very good and enjoyable film and I just hope to get it into more theaters. It’s not just for Asian audiences. It’s for people in general. There are so many characters that a lot of people connect with.
Ever the ardent Silicon Valley adventurers, we took a scenic trip up to Mount Umunhum today and felt like we could almost touch the clouds. It's a long, winding drive up into the Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve, but the views of Downtown San Jose (above) and Mountain View are well worth it. Since it takes so long to get up there, it's best to begin with lunch in Los Gatos like we did. Although there are tons of dining options in Los Gatos, we opted for some delicious Indian food from Tandoori Oven (133 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos 408-395-1784).
On your way up to Mount Umunhum the reservoir off Kennedy Road outside Los Gatos is a great place to pull over and stretch your legs.
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