In Bloom Walk

My favorite season is spring! I love how colors start to come in after everything has been bare. Since we have had so much rain this year we definitely have had a super bloom! Usually around May I host a walk or offer a curated box before Mothers Day. Last year I had a walk in Saratoga Village starting at Hakone Gardens. We have been members of Hakone for several years now. It’s a wonderful place to visit in the spring. This year I decided to do a springtime In Bloom Walk at one of my favorite bay area places, Filoli Gardens in Woodside. During the pandemic I got a membership to the gardens. It was a perfect place to transport myself to somewhere else and be safe at the same time. I have now been a member for 3 years and I love it! It has been a fun place to take friends and to go on my own to reflect. At the Clock Tower Gift Shop I have made connections with local vendors and have used their artisan goods for some previous curated boxes. Of course I was happy to include some of them in the gift bag for this event!

In 2021 I went to the Fall Days Event at Fioli. As I was shopping in the Clock Tower Gift Shop I met Teri from Kindred Cooks Caramels. I told her that I was working on a curated box for the holidays and she was interested in being a part of it. So I included a bag of her Caramel Sampler, which includes: Traditional, Sea Salt, Vanilla Chai, and Marshmallow with chocolate. I decided for my In Bloom Walk to offer the same bag of caramels to go into the gift bags.

Kindred Cooks Caramels has taken the best family soft caramel recipe they know and produced a delicious treat. They are sold at farmers' markets and select local businesses. Kindred Cooks Caramels are handmade and gourmet, made fresh from the best ingredients.

In my last curated box for Valentines called the I Love Los Gatos Box I included Roxannes Biscotti, which I found at The Butter Paddle in downtown Los Gatos. Before I started planning my In Bloom Walk I found her biscotti at The Clock Tower Gift Shop at Filoli Gardens. I purchased a package of her chocolate chip biscotti (with almonds). Having this serendipity moment inspired me to do a walk at Fioli in the spring, including caramels and bistcotti.

Roxanne bakes her perfect biscotti fresh every week in her kitchen in Morgan Hill. All the ingredients are sourced locally and her dedication to quality and craft is unmatched. Roxannes Biscotti are sold at The Clock Tower Gift Shop at Filoi, along with local farmers markets.

My In Bloom Walk was on Sunday April 29th. It was a beautiful breezy day at Filoli Gardens. I met everyone at the front entrance and they received their gift bags, which included a map, flower seeds, and a small sample size bag of Kindred Cooks Caramels, along with a Filoi sticker. If they purchased the large bag of caramels and biscotti that was included as well.

We started the walk by touring the house. It was beautifully decorated with fresh flowers from the gardens. Afterwards we contiuned walking through the gardens. In bloom were mainly Wisteria, Iris’s, some cherry blossoms, and a variety of peonies. While walking through the gardens we took a break and enjoyed some wine and cocktails in the orchard from the Blue Bird Bar. Everyone enjoyed shopping the Clock Tower Gift Shop and we had a delicous lunch and treats from the Quail Cafe. It was a beautiful day with old and new friends!

Since my 2nd favorite season is in the Fall I am thinking about hosting another walk at Fioli the end of October during the Fall Orchard Days. Stay tuned, it will be another beautiful day!

I Love Los Gatos Box for Valentines

My favorite time of year has always been around Valentines Day when the stress of the holidays is over and there is the promise of spring starting to show through. Last year I did a Chocolate Lovers Guide gift box for Valentines, which included chocolate items from around the bay area such as Mutari Chocolate. I had a Zoom chocolate tasting gathering and hand delivery meet-up at Satura Cakes in downtown Los Altos.

In May I hosted my first walk since 2020, which was a Zen Day Walk in Saratoga Village. The event started at Hakone Gardens and then we walked through Saratoga Village with our goodie bags, which had gift cards and treats included for each stop.

In August I got a part time job in downtown Los Gatos at Banana Republic and decided to take a break from my events to make some extra money. Unfortunately after the holidays we were told that our store was closing on January 24th along with the Gap and Sur La Table since the lease was being taken over. This was sad news for everyone who were losing their jobs and for the customers who had shopped at this location for years. Downtown Los Gatos is changing especially with the economy and recession coming.

Since Valentines was around the corner I decided to support the small businesses in downtown Los Gatos with a I Love Los Gatos gift box for Valentines. The box featured the businesses that I have been connected with in past events, which included Fleur de Cocoa, Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Co., Icing on The Cake, and Butter Paddle.

The I Love Los Gatos Gift Boxes were hand delivered at Fleur de Cocoa in downtown Los Gatos as a morning meet-up. This French Patisserie has amazing pastries, mousse cakes, artisan chocolates, and gourmet coffee. Using French recipes and techniques, Fleur de Cocoa offers a variety of traditional French mousse cakes, tarts and pastries, as well as fine teas and espresso drinks. Their light lunch menu includes uniquely French sandwiches, quiches and salads. The Valentines gift box included a box of their Fleur de Cocoa, coffee, and honey truffles.

Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Co. was also featured in the I Love Los Gatos Box. Los Gatos Coffee Roasting co. is an independent craft roaster pioneering in the specialty coffee industry in downtown Los Gatos. Included in the gift box was a 1/2 pound bag of European Style Sweet Ground Chocolate along with a token for a 12 oz. cup of their award winning coffee.

Another favorite Los Gatos small business featured in the Valentines gift box was Icing on The Cake. Icing on the Cake has been baking premium scratch-made desserts since 1985. Not only do I love their baked goods I also love their housewares, party, and stationery items. Included in the I Love Los Gatos Box were mini ceramic trinket jewelry dishes from Natural Life Brand, which I purchased at Icing on The Cake. The different level of gift boxes were named by the inspirational quotes on each ceramic dish. Natural Life Brand loves to inspire people to give and live happy!

While shopping in downtown Los Gatos I discovered Roxanne’s Biscotti. Roxanne bakes her perfect biscotti fresh every week in her kitchen in Morgan Hill. All the ingredients are sourced locally and her dedication to quality and craft is unmatched. Roxanne’s Biscotti are sold at The Butter Paddle in downtown Los Gatos, as well as at local farmers markets. The biscotti flavors featured in the Valentines gift boxes were Almond, Double Chocolate, and Mocha Biscotti (made with Chromatic Coffee). The Butter Paddle is an upscale gift and home accessories shop benefitting Pacific Clinics, a non-profit organization supporting children in crisis.

I am currently working on a springtime walk event at Filoli Gardens in May 2023 for Mothers Day. The gift bags will be featuring items from small local businesses that are sold at the gift shop. Stay tuned, it will be a beautiful fun filled day with friends!

Bay Area Bites Box

Last year I offered a Best of the Bay Area Box for the holidays. Since the gift box did so well I decided to offer one again this year. This time it was the Bay Area Bites Box with the same theme of coffee, tea, and chocolate, along with other treats. The gift box included items from San Francisco and the South Bay.

The first item offered in the Bay Area Bites Box was a bag of The Beast blend coffee from Barefoot Coffee Roasters. This blend has notes of bittersweet chocolate and macadamia cookie. Barefoot Coffee focuses on sourcing coffees from sustainable farms and roast to order in small batches to coax out flavors which range from fruity to chocolatey to nutty. While sourcing the best beans they also try to bring awareness to important social issues that affect their partner communities. For those that did a pick-up option for the box instead of the shipped version we had a fun coffee meet-up at Barefoot Coffee’s Campbell location.

While brainstorming and doing research on my Bay Area Bites Boxes I spent an afternoon at Filoli Gardens and then had fun shopping in their gift shop. While shopping there I came across Kindred Cooks Caramels. The owner was selling bags of caramels and offering samples to try. She said she was interested in participating in my holiday gift box and that she sells caramel to Barefoot Coffee in Campbell, which is added to their espresso drinks. I loved how items started to become interconnected with one another for my gift box.

Kindred Cooks Caramels has taken the best family soft caramel recipe they know and produced a delicious treat they sell at farmers' markets and select local businesses. Kindred Cooks Caramels are handmade and gourmet, made fresh from the best ingredients. All it takes is just one bite and you'll be hooked. The flavors featured in my Bay Area Bites Box were an assorted bag of caramels; Traditional, Sea Salt, Sea Salt with Chocolate, Vanilla Chai, and Marshmallow with Chocolate.

Along with the coffee gift box I also offered a tea gift box option. While shopping at Redemption in downtown Campbell I came across a cute little bag of tea from North Fork Chai, which makes their product in Northern California from high quality ingredients. Everything is prepared fresh before they begin their small batch brews. They aim to operate in an environmentally friendly manner. For example, their tea waste becomes mulch for our gardens that give back. Featuring First Light Tea with notes of black tea, ginger petals, lavender, and hibiscus.

Every time I visit the Ferry Building in San Francisco I always stop at Miette Pâtisserie & Confiserie and pick up some of their shortbread cookies. While doing research and shopping in San Francisco for my Bay Area Bites Box I went to go check out their location in Hayes Valley. While picking up some of their shortbread I tried their chocolate cupcake with espresso butter cream frosting and sat outside. It was delish! The featured shortbread in the box was their Brown Butter Shortbread; a classic butter cookie with a rich, complex flavor made from browning Straus butter to a deep chestnut color and adding a hint of vanilla.

One of my favorite local chocolate companies is Dandelion Chocolate from San Francisco, who I also feared in my Best of the Bay Area Box last year. They have a location in the Ferry Building and in the Mission District in San Francisco. Dandelion Chocolate roasts and grinds beans from a single farm or cooperative at a time. Bean-to-bar classic dark chocolate with traditional chocolate notes. It’s a winemaker’s approach to chocolate. The featured chocolate bar in the box was a 70% Costa Esmeraldas, Ecuador 2020 Harvest bar; notes of molasses, chocolate pudding, and a hint of blueberry.

To go on with the theme of chocolate, for as long as I remember I have wanted to write a Chocolate Lovers Guide Book. Since I like Valentines Day so much and usually do a Valentines walk or gift box, this year I am doing a Northern California Chocolate Lover’s Guide gift box for Valentines. I got inspired while I was in San Francisco and Santa Cruz during the holidays. Stay tuned, it will be delicious!

Build a Take Care Box

After having surgery in February I was only able to have decaf coffee. A couple of weeks following the surgery I went to Chromatic Coffee Co. for the first time. I mentioned to the lady working there that I also can’t have any dairy and she recommended a decaf latte with almond milk which was really delicious. She also gave me a complimentary bag of decaf coffee to try at home as well. As I sat outside and enjoyed my latte I was inspired to create a gift box for Mother’s Day that would include Chromatic Coffee Co. I decided that the Build a Take Care Box would offer choices of items from small businesses in San Jose around the theme of taking care of yourself and the environment.

The first item offered in the Take Care Box was a 12 oz. bag of Columbia Sugar Cane decaf coffee from Chromatic Coffee Co. with notes of nectarine, toffee, & cookies. Chromatic Coffee Co. blends meticulous craft coffee-making with a friendly and accessible approach with their customers. Located at Midtown Artist Mercantile Building in downtown San Jose.

To go along with the bag of coffee was a Chromatic Coffee Co. Gamut Bar included from Charlotte Truffles, for enjoying some chocolate time. The Gamut Bar is a collaboration bar with Chromatic's Gamut Coffee beans. Charolette Truffles is about creating diversity with flavors.

The next item offered was a Bee-Cause Mini Travel Bar in a cute metal tin by Philanthrobee for taking care of your skin. The BeeCause Body Bar works with your body heat to melt into your skin, using the power of natural bee products to soothe, replenish moisture, promote skin health, and protect against damage. Philanthrobee Skincare products have been hand crafted with raw ingredients derived from our honey bee apiaries in San Jose. The "Farm to Table" concept has never been better achieved. Sold at Three Sisters in the Willow Glen.

For keeping your lips moisturized I offered a Primal Well Milkshake lip balm from The Source Zero. Made with beeswax, cocoa butter, shea butter, avocado butter, jojoba oil, almond oil, coconut oil, and essential oils. In biodegradable and compostable cardboard packaging, these lip balms are the best choice you could make for your lips and the ocean! The Source Zero is a soap refill bar with other daily essentials that are earth conscious, locally made, and well crafted for longevity. Located at the Moment Pop-Up Shops in downtown San Jose.

I also inlcuded this lovely Basil Sage Mint Hand-Poured Soy Candle by Lighten Up Shoppe Candle from Fractal Flora. Lighten Up Shoppe candles are made with soy wax and cotton wicks. They are whimsically scented with a blend of essential oils and fragrance oils. They are fragrant, but not overwhelming or overpowering, for lighting a candle and enjoying some bath time! Fractal Flora is where people and plants coexist and they benefit richly from one another. This florist has created a place of exploration for people to come and nurture their curiosity for plant life. They encourage whimsical, mystical, and eternal storytelling through their customizable terrariums allowing customers to escape to places they have visited. Check out their new location in the Rose Garden neighborhood in San Jose.

The last item offered in the Take Care Box for taking a break and enjoying a treat! This delicious Organic Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie with 66% chocolate from Christine’s Cookie Co. is consciously made in small batches right here in San Jose. Also known as Simply by Christine @simplybychristine author of the book Sustainable Home, who I met in 2018 when I did my “Viva La San Jose” event in Downtown San Jose. SInce then she has started an organic cookie company. I went to one of her first pop-up shop events at the The Source Zero. I tried her Organic Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie. We chatted about how her cookies would be a perfect addition for the Take Care Box. She even hand delivered the fresh baked cookies to my home.

To continue with the theme of taking care of yourself, I am currently working on a Zen Day event in Saratoga Village for Spring 2022. I was inspired by Hakone Gardens in Saratoga and my Zen Area in our backyard. Stay tuned, it will be a nice and relaxing day!

Designed with Love Gift Box

During the holidays I designed a gift box called the Best to the Bay Area Box. This box included items from businesses in San Jose, Los Gatos, Los Altos, and San Francisco going off the theme of coffee, chocolate, and treats from the Bay Area. For Valentines I designed a new box called Designed with Love Gift Box. This was a bit different and more creative then my past gift boxes. It included items from small businesses in San Jose and Campbell, with chocolate hearts, a craft cocktail kit, a travel journal and an air plant. I offered two options, a Spirited and a Non-spirited gift box. All of the items were fun to enjoy and share on my Zoom Valentines party!

The first item featured in the Designed with Love Gift Box was from Snake and Butterfly, which is a family owned small batch organic chocolate shop located in downtown Campbell. Each gift box included 6 chocolate hearts (3 dark chocolate and 3 white).

The next item offered was from Bobo Design Studio’s, which is a lifestyle brand that creates wanderlust inspired goods such as stationery, travel goods, stickers, enamel pins, and totes. Their designs and products are inspired by the places they've been and the destinations they dream of. Each gift box included a Passport Wanderlust Travel Journal with vinyl stickers. This journal is fun to document how you have been spending time these days and your dreams of future travel.

The first 4 that purchased a Designed with Love gift Box received a San Jose sticker from the Traveling Calligrapher to stick in their travel journal. Traveling Calligrapher is a local San Jose artist that unlocks embracing your memories through city maps with hand made fonts. Each map is made with SO much love and attention and it has the ability to make people and people around them happy. Traveling Calligrapher's handlettered maps make the perfect gift for yourself, travelers, best friends, partners, and pretty much anyone who wants something completely unique surrounding their favorite city.

An item that was only offered in the Non-Spirited Designed with Love Gift Box was from Fractal Flora, which is where people and plants coexist and they benefit richly from one another. This florist has created a place of exploration for people to come and nurture their curiosity for plant life. They encourage whimsical, mystical, and eternal storytelling through their customizable terrariums allowing customers to escape to places they have visited. Everyone received a cute little Tillandsia Harrisii air plant to enjoy in their home.

An item that was only offered in the Spirited Designed with Love Gift Box was from She She Shoes, which is a fashion oasis in the heart of downtown Los Gatos offering a warm, inviting, flirty and fun atmosphere. The wide range of inventory and beautiful setting makes for an indulgent and memorable shopping experience. Everyone received a Craft Cocktail Kit - 16 oz Cranberry Martini Mix by Camp Cocktails. This kit will make up to 8 martinis! The kit contains Cranberry, Lemon Orange, and Citrus Infused NON-GMO vegan cane sugar.

After having surgery recently I can now only have decaf coffee. I just tried Chromatic Coffee for the first time. I mentioned to the lady working there that I also can’t have any dairy and she recommended a decaf latte with almond milk which was really delicious. She also gave me a complimentary bag of decaf coffee to try at home as well. As I sat outside and enjoyed my latte I was inspired about creating another gift box for Mothers Day that would include Chromatic Coffee. The gift box would be filled with items around the theme of taking care of yourself and the environment from small businesses in San Jose!

The Best of The Bay Area Boxes

In October I hosted a self-guided Los Gatos Coffee & Chocolate Walk. Originally the walk was supposed to be in May but due to SIP I postponed the event until the fall. Since it still wasn’t safe to gather I changed the event to be a self guided walk. I sold walk boxes on Eventbrite, which included walk maps that were mailed ahead of time. The boxes included items from different Los Gatos businesses such as Los Gatos Roasting Co., Icing on the Cake, Fleur de Cocoa, She She Shoes, and Dolce Spazio Dessert Cafe. They could then be enjoyed at home along with gift certificates to redeem when visiting the businesses.

In the beginning of December I decided to offer holiday gift boxes with some of the items from the Los Gatos Coffee & Chocolate Walk along with items from different Silicon Valley and San Francisco businesses. The holiday gift box was called The Best of Bay Area Box. I had fun being a personal shopper for friends, while supporting local businesses. I offered 3 different box options that were only on sale for a week. I was happy that I sold out of all of the boxes and had to add a few more to sell, since they were so popular.

One of the items that was included in all of the boxes was a 1/4 pound bag of Black Velvet coffee from Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Company. The Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Co. is an independent craft roaster pioneering in the specialty coffee industry located in downtown Los Gatos.

For those who don’t drink coffee I also offered a tea option which was a Black English Breakfast Tea from Tea on the Avenue. They have a tea bar in downtown Los Gatos that sources high quality tea from around the world with a preference for small, multi-generational farms.

To go with the coffee and tea I offered Premium Shortbread cookies from Satura Cakes. This bakery is located in downtown Los Altos. Their shortbread cookies are baked with European Butter and Tahitian Vanilla. The cookies match beautifully with a cup of coffee. Satura Cakes is a bakery that brings together French-style pastries with Japanese attention to detail, refinement and flavor. They are most well-known for their cream puffs, strawberry shortcake, meticulously decorated layer cakes, and shortbread cookies.

Since some friends had recommended a gluten-free option for one of the boxes, I did some research on gluten-free bakeries in the Bay Area and I found one in downtown Los Altos called Sweet Diplomacy. They are a California Fusion Gluten-Free Patisserie. This patisserie offers American cupcakes and European pastries made with California-grown Asian mochi rice flour or almond flour. When I stopped into the bakery to check it out they were super friendly. They recommended their Vanilla Meringue Kisses for the gift box. These were a perfect item since they come in such a cute container. The mini Meringue Kisses are flavored with Nielsen-Massy Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract. You can pop them in your mouth with a cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate for some extra sweetness. When I went to pick up the Meringue Kisses I also tried their most famous gluten-free cupcake, the Paris Cupcake. It was delicious and could be a perfect item to include in a future event in downtown Los Altos!

To go along with the coffee and cookies I also offered some Bay Area chocolate. I included Mariette Premium Chocolates for my Valentines I Love WG Walk in downtown Willow Glen in 2019 and they were happy to participate again for my holiday boxes. I have always loved their dark chocolate sea salt caramels which paired nicely with the items in the box, especially the shortbread cookies and coffee.

The other Bay Area chocolate that was offered in Best of the Bay Area Box was one of my favorites, Dandelion Chocolate from San Francisco. I used to always bring a bar of chocolate home when I would visit their store in the Ferry Building on my solo San Francisco days. In June we did a chocolate tasting on Zoom with Dandelion Chocolate and we received five bars of 70% chocolate. They were amazing! I decided to purchase more bars to do a personal chocolate tasting for my birthday. One of the bars I purchased was their Wampu, Honduras 70% chocolate bar. This chocolate bar has notes of classic dark chocolate, macadamia nut, and honeycomb. It is a perfectly balanced bar that we really enjoy.

Since the Best of the Bay Area Box sold so well I am thinking about doing another gift box for Valentines, a favorite holiday of mine especially for treats. I am planning on using some local small businesses that I have with worked with on past events. Stay tuned!

Los Gatos Coffee & Chocolate Walk

In February I hosted an I Love WG Walk with a group of friends in downtown Willow Glen for Valentines. We stopped at local businesses for the day, walking with our goodie bags containing a walk map with items from each business. After finishing this event in February I started planning my Los Gatos Coffee & Chocolate Walk for downtown Los Gatos. The walk was planned for May 16th. On March 13th it was announced that a shelter in place was going to start for the state of California. On that day I went to visit every business that was participating and thankfully they were all still interested in being part of the event. I enjoyed my last moments on my own before picking my son up from school. I stopped at Icing on the Cake and purchased my favorite Crumble Bee cookie and a Solstice coffee mug by Danica Studios. I then went across the street and enjoyed my cookie with a cappuccino at Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Co. Little did I know on that day that we would still be in a shelter in place 5 months later.

Originally my event was going to begin at Loma Coffee and Brewing Co. We had a reservation inside for brunch. We were going to have coffee and brunch and apply Color Street Nails together before walking and then take photos holding coffee and chocolate with our nails. Since restaurants can only have dining outside now the event has changed. You will now receive a self guided walk box in the mail ahead of time with a walk map, a set of Color Street Nails, and goodies to enjoy before and after the event. The night before the event we will have a Zoom kick off party where you will flaunt your Color Street Nails (you will have 4 different nail colors to choose from), while we sip on wine and get to know each other. The event will be for 3 days on the weekend of October 9th. You can choose when you would like to walk. On Saturday or Sunday you can choose to start the day with meeting me at the Town Plaza in the heart of Los Gatos. I will be there to meet and greet you in person before starting your self guided walk.

The first stop on the self guided walk map will be at the Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Co. They are an independent craft roaster pioneering in the specialty coffee industry. You will receive a 1/4 pound bag of coffee beans in your walk box along with a token for a 12 oz. cup of their award winning coffee. You can walk into the cafe and pick up your coffee or something to eat and enjoy it outside.

The 2nd stop on the self guided walk map will be at Icing On The Cake. You will receive a gift certificate for $5 in your walk box ahead of time. Savor their made-from-scratch-daily treats when visiting this fun and colorful bakery with your gift card. I recommend their "Crumble Bee" short bread cookie or their famous "Swirly" cupcake. They are my favorites! I also love their housewares, party, and stationery items. The bakery is closed on Sundays and Mondays. Enamel Swirly Cake pins and Solstice coffee cups by Danica Studios will be sold separately as souvenirs. Supplies will be limited on these items.

The 3rd stop on the self guided walk map is at Fleur de Cocoa. Step into this French Pastisserie with amazing pastries, mousse cakes, artisan chocolates, and gourmet coffee. Using French recipes and techniques, Fleur de Cocoa offers a variety of traditional French mousse cakes, tarts and pastries, as well as fine teas and espresso drinks. Their light lunch menu includes uniquely French sandwiches, quiches and salads, which you can enjoy outside on their patio. Enjoy a complimentary Fleur de Cocoa truffle, which will be included in your Walk Box.

The 4th stop on the self guided walk map will be at She She Shoes. Take a break from drinking coffee and eating chocolate and have fun shopping at this part glam, part contemporary, and part edgy boutique filled with stylish shoes, clothing, accessories, and gift items. She She Boutique is a fashion oasis in the heart of downtown Los Gatos offering a warm, inviting, flirty and fun atmosphere. The wide range of inventory and beautiful setting makes for an indulgent and memorable shopping experience. Enjoy shopping with your $10 gift card from She She Shoes in store or online. Their coffee cups are super fun!

The 5th stop on the self guided walk map is at Dolce Spazio Dessert Cafe. Indulge in their rich, dense, gelato, served with espresso from a local roaster, paired with their cookies, biscotti, and buttery cakes at this family owned cafe. Receive a complimentary Unette size gelato of your choice (please present your gelato card from your Walk Box). Sit down, relax and enjoy your gelato outside on their cute and shaded back patio. I recommend the Cappuccino Chip, it's my favorite!

The 6th stop of the self guided walk map is at Rootstock Wine Bar. This wine Bar celebrates the wines of the Santa Cruz Mountains and Santa Clara County while offering local organic cuisine in the form of enjoyable, delectable small plates and antipasti. Sit outside and reflect on your day (limit party of 6 or less per table). I recommend the Burrata Salad. It is amazing with a combination of pears, strawberries, spiced nuts, and Burrata cheese and pairs well with a Sauvignon Blanc.

The 7th and last stop on the self guided walk map is at Loma Brewing Co. Enjoy their award winning beer, locally sourced menu, and artisan coffee to go from the Loma Coffee Bar in their new outdoor space on Grays Lane. Enjoy sitting outside with a few friends after your self guided walk (space is limited to up to 4 people for seating).

I am looking forward to a fun weekend meeting all of you on Zoom (and hopefully in person) before you eat and shop your way through downtown Los Gatos. I hope that you enjoy your Walk Boxes and self guided walking adventure!

Supporting Small Businesses During Quarantine

Small businesses are vital to economic engines in our community and state. They have helped make our economy the strongest in the world. During this Quarantine many small local businesses are struggling and have had to revamp and come up with creative solutions to keep their businesses going. Here are some local small businesses that I have worked with on past events that are now offering things to the public during this quarantine.

Sue’s Gallery Cafe - @suesgallerycafe Is a cafe and a gallery in Saratoga Village I am planning to feature when I host a walking event in Saratoga next spring. Sue’s Gallery Cafe is a mom-and-pop dedicated to serving delicious, quality drinks that we love. Sue also makes one of a kind handmade ceramics. All of her pottery is used in the cafe and is available for sale in the gallery. The interactive nature of the cafe allows guests to try out their ceramic pieces for themselves, with every latte, tea, ice cream or pastry that they order.

Currently during this quarantine Sue’s Gallery Cafe is closed. They were offering free bags of coffee (“Alta” hazelnut and cocoa) from Kenz Coffee Roasters daily, which they set outside from 9:00 am - 10:00 am. Unfortunately the last day for this was on Wednesday April 8th. I went to pick up a bag on the last day and there was a cute note attached saying “This is a little something you can enjoy at home. I hope this coffee warms your heart, boosts your immune system, and strengthens you to fight through! Love, JJ”. The good news is they are still offering a cup of fresh brewed Kenz Coffee so just tap on the window and Sue’s husband JJ will pour a warm cup of fresh brewed coffee with a smile along with some friendly conversation. suesgallerycafe.com

Dolce Sicilia - @dolcesicilia is a small piece of Italy in the Bay Area. it was the starting point for my most recent I Love WG Walk in downtown Willow Glen. Dolce Sicilia is a family business established in 2011, owned by the Federico family that moved from Sicily to the Silicon Valley. They started out selling at local farmers markets. In 2018 they opened their first shop in the heart of Willow Glen. They serve high-quality homemade products including pastries, pastas, and more with basic ingredients imported from Italy. Their delights have been handcrafted to perfection with their family recipes to captivate your taste buds.

Currently during this quarantine Dolce Sicilia is offering pick-up and delivery through online orders from their website via Door Dash. I recommend their Feta Spinach Croissant for something savory and their Limoncella Mascarpone cake for dessert. dolcesicilia.info

Fractal Flora @fractalflora is a florist located in downtown San Jose at the Moment Pop-Up Shops. Fractal Flora is where people and plants coexist and they benefit richly from one another. This florist has created a place of exploration for people to come and nurture their curiosity for plant life. They encourage whimsical, mystical, and eternal storytelling through their customizable terrariums allowing customers to escape to places that they have visited. I featured Fractal Flora in two of my scavenger hunt events in downtown San Jose in 2018 and 2019. My guests really enjoyed escaping into another place while creating their own terrariums.

During this quarantine Fractal Flora is offering mini Succulent Propagation Kits. They are also offering bouquets of 10 stems for $15 and you can pickup pre-ordered flower arrangements at Voyager Coffee on Stevens Creek Boulevard. fractalflora.com

Enoteca La Storia @enotecalastoria_downtown in downtown San Jose is an Italian wine bar and restaurant run by Mike Guerra and Joe Cannistraci. Enoteca La Storia means Enoteca (wine library) and La Storia (Story). They provide thoughtfully crafted menus and a wide selection of offerings. The downtown San Jose location is their second, which helped to revamp San Jose’s Little Italy. I hosted a wine gathering at the Little Italy location for my Historic San Jose Scavenger Hunt event in August 2018.

Enoteca La Storia grows their own tomatoes and Cannistraci is now on the World Tomato Society. Their home grown tomatoes are amazing served with the fresh Mozzarella and is easily my favorite appetizer there.

Guerra is a professional sommelier. He hosts a wine club with high quality selections with rotating regionals and varietals. Everything they serve is either local or Italian.

Enoteca La Storia was featured in the 10.1 Issue of Content Magazine for March/April 2018 with a great article about the restaurant’s history and their amazing food. Check it out.

During this quarantine Enoteca La Storia is offering growler refills, dinner menu items, and Italian family meals such as pasta and Sicilian pizza, along with batched wine and cocktails to go. enotecalastoria.com/sanjose

Braise Willow Glen @braisewillowglen opened in 2017. The owners Josh Hanoka and Anthony Jimenez wanted to bring a new kind of restaurant to San Jose. Braise was built upon their shared desire to create a community by serving new dishes with fresh local ingredients. Nine months after Braise opened they had a electrical fire in back of their building and they were closed for three months. They had to start again from scratch. Fortunately Braise has survived two openings. Now they have had a new challenge with the COVID-19 Virus with everyone now in quarantine.

Braise Willow Glen was featured in the 11.5 Issue of Content Magazine for November/December 2019 with a great article about the restaurant’s story and their awesome food. Check it out.

During this quarantine Braise is offering a To Go Market which is first come first served pick up items, with time slots to choose from to take home and enjoy. The menu includes mains, soups, assorted starters, small bites, desserts, home cooking supplies, cocktails, wines, beers to go and cordials, along with a bone for your dog. For small bites I recommend starting with their Cheddar Beignets paired with a Sauvignon Blanc. We had Braise Willow Glen for brunch during my I Love WG Walk event in February and I had their Little Gem Salad with fried chicken added. The salad was delicious! One of the mains on the To Go Market Menu is Buttermilk fried chicken. Last night we picked some up for a special Friday dinner. The Buttermilk Fried Chicken was truly unforgettable! To end your meal I recommend for dessert the Pot de Créme w/Sea Salt. It’s great paired with a Pinot Noir. braisetogo.square.site

Once things are somewhat back to normal my husband and I are going to reschedule the date night we had to cancel in March and enjoy a special dinner to celebrate!

If you are tired of eating at home and want to try one of these amazing local small businesses for take-out or some added home décor please help support them during this tough time.

Stay tuned for my Los Gatos Coffee & Chocolate Walk event in downtown Los Gatos on October 10, 2020. Everyone will be ready to get out and be with friends while supporting local small businesses. Save the date! @eventshopdesign

I Love Willow Glen Walk

I have always had a place in my heart for Valentines Day so February 8th I hosted an I Love WG Walk in downtown Willow Glen to celebrate this special holiday. Since moving to San Jose in 2007 I’ve probably spent the most time on Lincoln Avenue in Willow Glen. This area has been updated with many new restaurants and stores in the last 10 years or so. I had a lot of fun planning this particular event! All of the businesses were very generous and helpful especially with the promoting of it. The I Love WG Walk was the second Valentines event I’ve put on. A year ago I did a I Love SJ scavenger hunt in Downtown San Jose. Since everyone seemed to really enjoy it I decided to do the same theme again.

I started the planning by creating a graphic design. This was a heart with all of the icons for the stops in the event. The theme was eating and shopping your way through downtown Willow Glen. The Tiffany blue color was inspired by the packaging from a couple of the businesses that were participating in the event. I paired the Tiffany blue with red for Valentines.

Stop #1 on the walk map was at Dolce Sicilia in the Garden Theater Building. Everyone met me in the morning a this family owned Italian Cafe and picked up their goodie bags with swag, walk maps, and a $5 Dolce Sicilia gift card to enjoy their delicious coffee, cookies, or gelato with friends before our walking adventure.

I tried many Dolce Sicilia treats while planning my event for breakfast and an afternoon treat. My top choices are the Cappuccino paired with Tenereszze Al Limone Cookies or Limoncello Mascarpone Cake. The owners at Dolce Sicilia were so friendly and helpful in promoting my event. I really appreciate all that they did for my little boutique event planning business.

Stop #2 on my walk map was Life in Willow Glen - Mural by Lila Gemellos. After Dolce Sicilia everyone walked over to the side of the BevMo building to take a photo together by this fabulous colorful mural which portrays the life in Willow Glen. I have featured Lila’s murals in most of my walk events as I really admire her work depicting the culture of San Jose. Through all of these events we have become friends. She has been super generous in making swag items for me as well. Check out her latest mural at San Pedro Market when it is finished. I was lucky to see her working on it behind the scenes!

Stop #3 on my walk was at Petroglyph Ceramic Lounge. The gold ticket holders for my event enjoyed painting ceramic heart magnets with friends. We brought our coffee over from Dolce Sicilia to enjoy while we were painting our pottery and the results are super cute!

Stop #4 on my walk map was at Braise Willow Glen. A group of us enjoyed an amazing brunch at this awesome little restaurant. Along with brunch we all received a complementary copy of the November/December 2019 issue of Content Magazine which featured Braise so that my guests could read more about it. My favorite items on the menu are the sweet and savory cheddar beignets for an appetizer and the Mini Chocolate Pot de Creme with marshmallow fluff brûlée for dessert.

Stop #5 on the walk map was at Ibiss Boutique. Everyone had fun shopping at this modern girl’s dream closet on the day of the event with their friends. The owner of Ibiss was very generous with us. Not only did she give us 20% off for the day she also gave us complimentary pairs of earrings and mini lipsticks for our goodie bags.

The Bonus Stop! on the walk map was at Blue Mercury-make up. skincare.spa. This was added after the maps were already printed. Since I stop in this make up store quit often I have made friends with the manager Jennifer at this location. She got the word about my event and wanted to be added to the walk. She was super generous and gave all of us little bags with complementary skin care products.

Stop #6 on the walk map was at Mariette Premium Chocolates. When strolling into this fun local chocolate shop everyone enjoyed complimentary chocolate hazelnut cream and vanilla cream hearts. The manager and owners were super friendly and really delightful to work with before and during the event. They were very sweet and had a nice display with the chocolates individually wrapped in Tiffany blue boxes with red ribbons. This was all set out for us when we walked into the shop on the day of the event.

Stop #7 on my walk map was at Mann’s Jewelers. This spectacular family owned jewelry store has been a mainstay on the Avenue for many years. Here we received complimentary glasses of champagne while getting our jewelry cleaned. We also received unexpected little goodie bags with two pairs of earrings, a jewelry cleaning cloth, and a coupon. We really felt the love from the store owners. They were amazing with the planning of the event and with the little private party we had in their store on the day of the festivities.

Stop #8 on my walk map was at Three Sisters Willow Glen. Everyone enjoyed shopping at the cutest vintage antique shop in Willow Glen. The owner Carole was super generous with promoting my event beforehand by putting out flyers and decorating the store for Valentines. She also gave us all complimentary items when we came into the store, which included lovely French heart guest soaps and little jars of honey from Willow Glen Honey. It was a sweet little stop to end the day with.

Stop #9 on my walk map was at 20twenty Cheese Bar. This was the last and final stop of the day which ended with a wine gathering at this lively cheese and wine bar. We sat outside on the back patio and enjoyed their Artisan cheeses and wines while we chatted about our fun day. My favorite wine and cheese choice is the Humbolt Fog Goat Cheese paired with the Fess Parker Pinot Noir.

The I Love WG Walk in downtown Willow Glen was a pretty successful day! I think that this was the best of all of my neighborhood walking events. I will definetly plan one in Willow Glen again. Stay tuned for my next event on May 16th: Los Gatos Coffee & Chocolate Walk in downtown Los Gatos. Stay tuned for more details.

Dia de los Muertos Food and Art Walk

After finishing my California Made Scavenger Hunt In Downtown Campbell on August 4th I started planning my Dia de los Muertos Food and Art Walk which was on November 3, 2019. I decided to have the event on The Alameda in the Rose Garden neighborhood since the Alameda Art Works was having its Fall Open Studios on the same weekend. Everything seemed to fit perfectly with the event being art based and Dia de los Muertos also was happening during the same time. I have always been inspired by Sugar Sculls so I started my planning by drawing the art for the event. The sugar scull art was featured on the stickers, button pins, and food and art walk map.

Stop #1 on the food and art map was Greenlee’s Bakery. All of the guests met here to receive two complementary cookies of their choice along with a goodie bag and a food and art walk map. I highly recommended the Mexican Wedding Cake Cookies and Greenlee’s made extra for the event. Many guests enjoyed a cup of Illy Coffee and their famous breakfast burritos while we gathered together before walking to the next stop.

Stop #2 was at Zona Rosa. This restaurant is one my favorites in San Jose. I actually used this as a lunch stop on my very first event, Historic San Jose Scavenger Hunt in August 2018. Since then Zona Rosa has gone through some renovations with an expansion inside, new bar area, and larger updated patio. It looks amazing! We had a big turn out for brunch where we took up most of the patio. The food was amazing as always and they had a complementary Carrot Margarita served to us just for the event. It was beautiful and delicious!

Stop #3 was Peet’s Coffee on The Alameda where the Bicycle Mural by Lila Gemellos lives. I had featured this mural on my first hunt a year ago. It is a great place to take photos with friends while posing with the bicycle. We had a lot of fun this time around as you can see!

Stop #4 was at a store that I just discovered because they had a sugar scull in the window when planning my event. It’s called The New Found Market. This store is a hidden gem on the corner of Atlas and The Alameda. This little market is filled with fun, new and used decor. They had some fantastic Frida Kahlo pillows on display.

Stop #5 was at the Recycle Book Store East. I just love this book store filled with new and used books. This is the third time that I have featured them in my events. The people working there are really friendly and everyone loves their shop cats. Each guest received a $5 gift certificate included with their ticket purchase. The first four to find Emma the black cat received a complementary cat button pin.

Stop #6 on my food and art walk was at the School of Visual Philosophy. The first time I went to this awesome art school, gallery and maker space was during their open studios in August. I met the owner Dana Seeger and she was excited about the idea of teaching a workshop for my next event. To go with the Dia de los Muertos theme we decided on a paper flower workshop which was included with the Gold Ticket price. We made flower bouquets and hair pieces. I think this was a favorite stop on the walk. It was nice to sit and relax while creating together. Afterwards we put our paper flower hair pieces on and wore them for the rest of the day.

Stop #7 was at The Alameda Art Works Fall Open Studios. This was also another favorite stop by many during the event. The studios provide a work space for dozens of artists working in a wide range of mediums. Everyone enjoyed meeting the different artists and seeing their amazing work, especially by Amy Brown, Sara Cole, Amy Hibbs, and Rosanna Alvarez. Everyone received a Dia de los Muertos themed magnet in their goodie bag from Rosanna Alvarez from Citalirose as a souvenir included with their ticket.

Stop #8 was at Crema Coffee. This fabulous coffee company is the perfect place to stop and take a coffee break especially when sitting outside on the comfy Parisian-style chairs. They also have delicious savory and sweet treats to enjoy with their awesome coffee.

Stop #9 the last and final stop was at Wine Affairs. Everyone finished the day with a gathering at this Craft Beer and Boutique Wine Bar. They offered a happy hour event menu for each guest. The wine paired well with their Smoked Salmon Goat Cheese Crostini and the Truffle Popcorn. It was a perfect place to end a fun day

The Dia de los Muertos Food and Art Walk was a fun an relaxing day walking on The Alameda and enjoying food, art, and wine. Stay tuned for my I love WG Walk in Willow Glen to celebrate Valentines Day. It’s already in the works and is planned for Saturday February 8th. Save the date!!!

California Made Scavenger Hunt In Downtown Campbell

After finishing my Viva La Vida San Jose hunt for Cinco de Mayo on May 4th, 2019 I started planning my California Made Scavenger Hunt In Downtown Campbell which was on August 24th, 2019. I decided to have the hunt begin at Manresa Bread since everyone enjoyed their pastries so much at B2 Coffee in the San Pedro Market on my previous hunt.

I started going to downtown Campbell weekly to get inspiration. The California Made theme was inspired by Redemption CA and Therapy Stores in downtown Campbell. Both stores have fun gift items from California that are all locally sourced. Many of the items featured California Poppies which I love. The poppies inspired the style and colors for the event . I have always been drawn to the color orange complemented with blue. I decided to create the poppy art myself for the event graphics. It was featured on the stickers, button pins, and for the scavenger hunt map.

Stop #1 on the scavenger hunt map was at Manresa Bread. This stop was where all of the guests met to receive their $5 gift card for a coffee or a pastry and pick up their goodie bags with scavenger hunt maps. During the planning of the hunt I met with the owner Avery Ruzicka. She let me section off an area for my hunters to sit and enjoy their breakfast on the morning of the hunt. Before this event I had only tried their amazing chocolate croissants. While planning I tried a few of their delicious sweet and savory treats paired with their awesome mimosas. These included their Kougain Amann, Quiche Lorraine, and grilled cheese sandwich with sea salt on top. Manresa Bread was the ideal place to kick start the hunt and the atmosphere really complemented the colors and theme of the day perfectly!

Stop #2 was at Redemption CA. This stop is a California crafted goods lifestyle boutique for the conscious minded. My hunters really enjoyed shopping in this store. While shopping they received complementary postcards in their goodie bags, champagne when they arrived, and a current issue of Content Magazine, which was provided by Content for the event. The gold ticket holders also received a DIY California Kit from Little Shop of Horticulture that was included with the ticket price.

Stop #3 on the scavenger hunt map was at Rocket Fizz. The hunters enjoyed a little art hunt while shopping at this soda pop and candy shop. They had to take out their art hunt card from their goodie bags and start hunting for all the fun art items when they arrived. Once they found them all they turned in the filled art hunt card and picked up their complementary $6 bag to fill with salt-water taffy of their choice. I think this was everyone’s favorite stop since it was interactive and fun!

Stop #4 on the scavenger hunt map was at Recycle Bookstore. The hunters enjoyed shopping for new and used books at this fun bookstore. The first four to post a photo of “Max” the Tuxedo Cat on Instagram received a complementary cat magnet.

Stop #5 was Therapy Stores. The hunters had fun exploring this family owned California-themed store with fun gift items and a photo booth.

Stop #6 was at Brown Chicken Brown Cow. This was our lunch gathering spot. We had the whole front patio to ourselves as the owner Chris arranged for us to have it privately for our group. Everything served at Brown Chicken Brown Cow is of the highest quality, from the grass fed beef and free range chicken to the cheeses and salads. Every menu item has been carefully crafted to satisfy even the toughest of food critics. My favorite items are the Angry Goat Cheese Crostinis, which is a spicy blend of goat cheese, jalapeño, garlic, onion and cilantro, served with toasted Crostinis, arugula & chives and Truffle fries paired with a glass of Chardonnay.

Stop #7 on the scavenger hunt map was at Petite Petal. The hunters enjoyed shopping and looking around at this little flower shop full of pretty things. They received 20% off anything they purchased on the day of the hunt! This place also offers workshops which I plan to try sometime soon.

Stop #8 on the scavenger hunt map was at Snake & Butterfly. The hunters got to taste complementary hand painted chocolate at this small batch organic chocolate shop. It also serves delicious Lush Gelato made from scratch. The owners Mara and Celeste set aside a special plate of their salted caramel and dark chocolate truffles for my guests with a sign I made for the event. This was a perfect spot to end the day with a delicious treat!

The California Made Scavenger Hunt In Downtown Campbell was a beautiful day strolling around downtown Campbell with new and old friends. It was a big success! Stay tuned for my next event in San Jose, the Dia de los Muertos Food and Art Walk on the first weekend in November. It will be on The Alameda in the Rose Garden during the Alameda Art Works Open Studios!

Viva La Vida San Jose Hunt

After my I love SJ Hunt In February I started to plan my hunt for a Cinco de Mayo Viva La Vida San Jose hunt. While I started designing and merchandising the hunt I started thinking about one of my biggest artistic inspirations, Frida Kahlo. I felt she really fit with the Cinco de Mayo theme so I decided that she would be the inspiration for my hunt. This theme brought so much creativity to the event including bright colors, awesome Mexican food, and fun festive hunt stops! On the morning of Saturday May 4th my hunters met me outside of the San Pedro Market Square where they received their goodie bags and hunt maps. The goodie bags were filled with all kinds of fun swag including some items from local mural artists; a sticker and button pin from P.M.B.Q Studios, a promotional postcard with a flamingo painting by Max DeHart for his art show Into The Wilderness, and a printed San Pedro Market card by Lila Gemellos. 

A week before my hunt The Cultivator, Daniel Garcia from Content Magazine, contacted me by email saying that wanted to help me promote my event. I was so excited that Content wanted to help me! The magazine ended up promoting the event on Instagram, Facebook and an email blast. After seeing the promo Winona Rajamohan, a journalist student from San Jose State, contacted me and asked if she could interview me and broadcast the event for a show on CreaTV. On the morning of the hunt she showed up early to start filming me while I was setting everything up.

“Viva La Vida San Jose” Hunt Goodie Bag and Swag.

I used the same formula for the tickets as I did for the I Love SJ Hunt with gold, silver, and copper level tickets. The gold and cooper ticket included a $5 gift card for B2 Coffee (Bellano) which was Stop #1 on the hunt map. This little coffee bar was inside the San Pedro Market. You could choose any type of coffee drink or a Manresa Bread pastry with the gift card. A couple of days before my hunt I found out that B2 was leaving San Pedro Market on May 15th. I was so bummed to receive this news but glad that my hunters got to enjoy their coffee one last time before it was gone. Everyone really enjoyed the pastries from Manresa Bread. I decided my next hunt in August would start at their cafe in downtown Campbell. 

San Pedro Market Square - Scavenger Hunt Meeting Spot.

B2 Coffee (Bellano) and Manresa Bread Chocolate Croissant.

Stop# 2 on the hunt map was a morning art walk. After getting our B2 Coffee we started to stroll toward the Hotel De Anza. It was fun walking around downtown San Jose with all the hunters wearing Frida Kahlo inspired costumes while being filmed and interviewed along the way. The main mural on the morning art walk, which really complemented the theme of the hunt, was the Life Abundant in the Face of Death Imminent mural by tattoo artist Jim Miner at the De Anza Hotel. We got some great photos and footage in front of this mural.

Life Abundant in the Face of Death Imminent mural by tattoo artist Jim Miner at the De Anza Hotel.

Stop #4 on the map was at Fractal Floral at the Moment Pop-Up Shops were we started with a fresh flower Frida Flower Crown workshop. This workshop was for gold level tickets and it was the highlight of the event. The owners of Fractal Flora taught an amazing flower crown class and had included refreshments that fit the theme to enjoy while were creating our flower crowns. Once we were done and put the crowns on our day became even more exciting. We received a lot to attention while wearing them around downtown!

DIY Frida Flower Crown Table.

Fabulous Refreshment From Fractal Flora.

Beautiful Flower Crowns!

Stop #3 on the hunt map was at The Source Zero in the Moment Pop-Up Shops. This was included with the copper level tickets and during the same time as workshop at Fractal Flora. This sustainable lifestyle boutique had a workshop taught by the author of The Sustainable Home, Christine Liu. It was pretty exciting to hear her speak about her book and to purchase a copy that she had signed. My hunters really enjoyed this workshop and learned about making their homes more sustainable while saving our planet.

Stop #5 on the hunt map was in front of the Moment Pop-Up Shop, which was a paint-a-Frida Panda workshop taught by local mural artist Phuong-Mai Blasich from P.M.B.Q Studios. This workshop was for the silver level tickets. It was really exciting to have her teach this class especially since I had featured her Panda Mural in my last few scavenger hunts. The hunters really enjoyed her class and did a great job with their Frida Panda paintings!

Paint A “Frida Panda” Workshop taught local mural artist Phuong-Mai Blasich from P.M.B.Q Studios.

Paint A “Frida Panda” by P.M.B.Q Studios and “Frida Flower Crown” from Fractal Flora.

Stop #6 on the hunt map was a VIP Lunch at Olla Cocina by San Pedro Market. This restaurant was the perfect backdrop for my Cinco de May Frida Kahlo inspired theme. The food and drinks were amazing! The journalist student from San Jose State even joined in on the festivities.

Olla Cocina Tequila Bar.

Olla Cocina - Our Table Under the Day of The Dead Paintings For VIP Lunch.

Olla Cocina - Amazing Ahi Tostadas.

Stop #7 on the hunt map was the start of our Afternoon Art Walk. We stopped at P.M.B.Q Studios Panda Bakery Cafe mural on 1st Street while wearing our Frida Flower Crowns. It was fun taking photos with the bamboo and all of the little furry friends.

Stop #8 on the hunt map was at Muji Japanese store. This was the third time that I have included this stop in my scavenger hunt. Everyone really enjoyed getting creative with the sketchbook in their goodie bags at the Stamp It Station, while wearing their Frida Flower Crowns.

Muji “Stamp It Station” Using Sketchbook in Goodie Bags.

Muji “Stamp It Station” Wearing Frida Flower Crowns.

Stop #9 on the hunt map was at the San Jose Candy Kitchen were we enjoyed some delicious dark chocolate sea salt caramel tasting. This is the third time that I have used this candy shop for my scavenger hunt. The last two hunts we did fudge tasting which is also really good at this local shop. The hunters really enjoyed this stop especially since we got to sit down, relax and hang out a bit outside before moving on.

San Jose Candy Kitchen - Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel Tasting.

Frida Kahlo Modeling With The Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels.

Stop #10 We headed to the SoFA District to see the spectacular 100 - Artist Mural Project off of 1st Street. The hunters had a great time taking photos in front of these beautiful murals while wearing their Frida Flower Crowns. They enjoyed seeing Max DeHart’s purple octopus amongst the 100 works along with Lila Gemello’s updated SoFA mural.

100 - Artist Block Mural Project - Purple Color Octopus Mural by Max DeHart.

SoFA Mural by Lila Gemellos

Frida Kahlo And The 100 Block Mural.

Stop #11 on the hunt map took us to the ICA (San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art) to see the electrical engineering exhibit by Alan Rath. This exhibit will be leaving the museum by June 2nd so try to catch this before it is gone.

Motion Sensor Pink Feathers by Alan Rath.

Stop #12 We ended the day by sitting down and having coffee at Vero’s Coffee Bar in the SoFA Market while taking a fun quiz about Frida Kahlo. It was a long but amazing day filed with fun, friends, and laughter. There are already plans in the works for a California Made Hunt (all locally made) in downtown Campbell in August. Look out also for a Día de los Muertos Hunt in the Rose Garden and downtown San Jose in early November with flower crowns and the Alameda Artworks open studios!

SoFA Market Vero’s Coffee Bar.

Vero’s Coffee Bar Delicious Latte.

San Jose - Local Mural Artists

For the last several years I have been blogging about places to go in the Bay Area. I have lived in San Jose for 12 years now and I have learned a lot about the city by exploring and seeking out locations that inspire me. There is a huge creative culture in San Jose, which includes a ton of street art and art museums. By blogging and taking photos around the city I have become connected to several of the local artists.

In August I hosted a scavenger hunt in Japantown, the Rose Garden, and Little Italy, each with many murals. I love these areas of the city since there such a history and culture.

By mural artist Roan Victor in Japantown behind Nichi Bei Bussan produced by Empire 7

While exploring Downtown San Jose I learned about the Panda Cafe and Bakery mural on 1st street off of San Fernando. It’s artist is Phuong-Mai Bui-Quang. I was really excited the first time that I found it. This mural takes a large portion of the block with different scenes of pandas in the city surrounded by bamboo. I featured this mural in the DIM Downtown Hunt in December and in my Valentines l Love SJ Hunt in February. Everyone really enjoyed taking fun photos in front of this bright and cheery mural in the middle of all the grit of Downtown San Jose.

Panda Cafe and Bakery mural by mural artists by Phuong-Mai Bui-Quang produced by P.M.B.Q

After hosting my last scavenger hunt in February Phoung-Mai “Mai” Blasich from P.MB.Q started to follow me on Instagram. She enjoyed my photos from the hunt and made comments about the photos of her Panda Mural. I was very flattered and excited since I have been admiring her work for over a year now. While following P.M.B.Q on Instagram, I found out that she had opened up a shop at the Moment pop-up shops right next-door to Fractal Flora, who participated in my last two hunts. I decided to stop by her shop and meet her in person. We really hit it off. She told me about her background in graphic design and Anime art and showed me all of her art and merchandise in her shop. We chatted for awhile and she let me take photos for my blog. Unfortunately the shop is only at Moment until the end of March. I purchased my son a cute sticker, button pin, and stuffed panda bear as a souvenir, since he is also a big fan of her art. Next Saturday on March 16th P.M.B.Q will be celebrating National Panda Day with a fun event at her Moment pop-up shop. Come by and check it out!

P.M.B.Q Moment pop-up shop

On my last three scavenger hunts I also featured the artists Lila Gemellos. On my Historic Downtown San Jose Hunt I included her bicycle mural in the Rose Garden. On the DIM Downtown Hunt and I Love SJ Hunt I featured her SoFA Mural in the SoFA District of Downtown San Jose. I have been been a fan of her work for awhile. She even painted a mural in my neighborhood recently. During my DIM Downtown Hunt I purchased her souvenir cards of the Hotel De Anza that I gave out as a gift. She is very involved in the creative culture of San Jose. During my I Love SJ Hunt as we were taking photos of her SoFA mural there were artists starting to prep the wall to paint over the mural. We were so lucky to get our last photos of her beautiful and bright SoFA mural before it disappeared.

A couple weeks later I brought my family over to where the SoFA mural used be and there were a bunch of artists that were commissioned for The 100 Block Mural Project painting individual murals on the same wall along with a new SoFA mural by Lila Gemllos. This project had 100 local mural artists create a piece of art on a 3-foot square, which has been grouped by color starting with neutrals, warm, and then ending in cool colors. It was really exciting and inspiring to see the artists in action adding more color to our wonderful artistic city!

The 100 Block Mural Project SoFA District San Jose

SoFA Mural by mural artist Lila Gemellos

Stay tuned for my next scavenger hunt in the spirit of Cinco de Mayo inspired by the artist Frida Kahlo called Viva La Vida San Jose. The hunt will be featuring The 100 Block Mural Project along with more colorful street art and will be filled with DIY creative experiences, delicious food, art, and fun!

Life Abundant in the Face of Death Imminent mural by tattoo artist Jim Miner at the De Anza Hotel

I Love San Jose Hunt

It all started back in September when I attended the Content Magazine networking event at Lomas Brewing Company in Los Gatos. I had gone to Content Magazine’s previous networking event in March but did not get to meet the owner Daniel Garcia at that event. I decided that I would sign up to meet with him for the first available slot. I showed him my portfolio with photos from my scavenger hunt on August 25th in Japantown, the Rose Garden, and Little Italy. He loved my photos and the ideas for the hunt. He suggested that I meet with Katie Otis from Design In Mind for more feedback. Design in Mind is a digital design agency. Katie was a great person to talk to. She was very excited about my scavenger hunt ideas and said that this could be my niche’. She said that you can have different levels of hunts to cater to all types of audiences. I listened to all of her her advice regarding my event planning business. A week later I emailed her thanking her for meeting with me. She emailed back stating that she wanted to hire me for her her company’s holiday party team building event. What an awesome opportunity! I met with her at her office in the beginning of October and started planning the DIM Downtown Hunt for December 14th. The hunt was filled with food, drinks, treats, DIY stations, an art walk and a wrap-up party at the De Anza Hotel. The whole event was branded with DIM’s Pantone 3385 Mint color and logo. She had back packs, umbrellas, and maps printed with their logo for the hunt. The team received co-branded merchandise at the Moment Pop-Up Shop Bobo Design Studio as well during the hunt. It was so much fun! Since her team enjoyed the hunt and activities so much I decided to duplicate the hunt and sell tickets for a Valentines hunt in February for my friends.

DIM Downtown Hunt 12/14/2018

After the holidays I started to plan my I Love SJ Hunt for Valentines in Downtown San Jose. It was pretty simple to plan since I had the same businesses participate in the hunt from before. I sold three different ticket levels for the hunt: a gold, silver, and copper ticket. All included a goodie bag with an I love SJ button pin, sticker, hunt map, and chocolate heart candy. I merchandised the hunt to be in the theme of valentines with a black, white, and gold color story. The gold and silver ticket started at Philz Coffee were you received a $5 gift card for any type off coffee you choose. Stop #1 was at Philz Coffee on the Paseo De San Antonio in Downtown San Jose for about an hour were I handed out the gift cards and goodie bags. All three ticket levels then went on from Philz with their hunt maps to the next stops. 

I Love SJ Hunt Goodie Bag

Stop #2 was the Burning Man Ha Ha Sculpture by Laura Kimpton next to the Hammer Theater on the Paseo De San Antonio. Everyone had fun taking laughing photos in front of this sculpture. Next was Stop #3, an art walk of two murals between 1st and 2nd Street off of San Carlos. The first mural was the Abundance of Life Mural which is a new mural that was featured during the Pow Wow Festival in October and produced by Empire 7 Studios. The second mural was the SoFA Mural by artist Lila Gemellos. Little did we know that day that it was going to be painted over for the new 100 Block MuralProject and new SoFA Mural. We were lucky to get some fun photos before it disappeared later that day. Last weekend my family and I went to check out the artists in action creating the new murals. Stay tuned for my new blog post about the 100 Block Mural Project.

SoFA Mural by Lila Gemellos

After our art walk we headed over to Stop #4 to get creative at the Japanese store Muji on the Paseo de San Antonio. Everyone had a recycled notebook in their goodie bag to stamp at the Stamp It Station. This was everyone’s favorite stop even on the DIM Downtown Hunt. The kids and parents had a blast stamping their notebooks each with their own designs. Moving on from Muji was Stop #5, fudge tasting at Candy Kitchen. Each hunter got to taste two different flavors of fudge; chocolate, vanilla oreo, and chocolate mint, which was the favorite at this fun family owned candy store. 

Candy Kitchen Fudge Tasting

Muji Stamp It Station

We then headed to the afternoon portion of the hunt to the San Pedro Market for Stop #6, which was lunch on the heated patio at Vino Vino. We had the patio all to ourselves. They even let us bring in outside food from the San Pedro Market as long as we bought a drink. It was so much fun hanging out for a lunch gathering enjoying the wine and delicious food as a group. After we filled our bellies with food and laughter the gold ticket holders headed across the street to Stop #7 at Fractal Floral in the Moment pop-up shops for their DIY Airplant Terrarium Station. This was another favorite activity, especially for the kids. Everyone had their own terrarium creation with fun add-on figurines to put inside. 

Fractal Flora DIY Airplant Terrarium Station

After using our green thumbs we moved along back through Downtown San Jose to the Martin Luther King Library for Stop #8, the Recollections library tour. The kids had a blast playing in the rotating bookshelf and finding the Alice In Wonderland Door, The Hatch in the special elevator. From the library we headed over to Stop #9, which the XO Burning Man Sculpture also by Laura Kimpton in front of the Rotunda a the City Hall. Everyone had fun taking photos siting on the sculpture. We then headed over to Stop# 10 to sit and rest with a delicious cool and refreshing treat at Cream on 1st Street. We all enjoyed their fabulous ice cream sandwiches. I highly recommend their mint chip ice cream with the chocolate chip cookie dipped in chocolate chips. 

XO Burning Man Sculpture by Laura Kimpton

After we enjoyed our delicious ice cream sandwich treats we started our afternoon art walk Stop #11, which was the end of the hunt. The first mural, which is on 1st Street next to Cream is the Panda Mural by the artist Phoung-Mai “Mai” Blasich from P.M.B.Q Studios. This mural has been there since 2013. She now has a pop-up shop at Moment though March. I went by to meet her in person last week. Stay tuned for my info about her shop and art in my next blog post. Following this mural were two more murals off of Santa Clara Street near the San Pedro Market. The first one is at the Harts Dog Park by Roan Victor and the next Dac Phuc Vietnamese Cuisine by Harumosato both produced by Empire 7 Studios the Pow Wow Festival. 

Panda Mural by P.M.B.Q

The hunt was a hit back in December with the Design In Mind team, and with my friends for Valentines. Stay tuned for my next hunt in May near Cinco de Mayo called Viva La Vida SJ Hunt with more art delicious food, wine, and DIY activities!