Viva La Vida San Jose Hunt — Event Shop Design

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!

Fabulous Refreshment From Fractal Flora.

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

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.

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!