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!!!