Robots: Evolution of a Cultural Icon @ the San Jose Museum of Art!

This image, and the others which follow, are from the SJMA exhibit. All rights are reserved to their creators.

I love robots. Maybe it's because I used to work at a specialty toy store which consistently stocked a healthy selection of metallic, 60s style, key-powered robots. Or maybe I have fond memories of my brother's liquid powered plastic behemoth which would vent smoke and stare with its red glowing eyes. Regardless, I was stoked to attend this evening's robot event at the San Jose Museum of Art in honor of its Robots: Evolution of a Cultural Icon exhibit.

As part of the event, the museum offered free admission for all attendees. Patrons could sip complimentary wine, as well as lemonade, water, or iced tea. Guests could also snag paper containers and fill them with assorted snack mixes, wasabi flavored peas, nuts, or candy. Children and adults alike could build their own robots out of Legos, draw robots with crayons and colored pencils, or create their own robots out of pieces of styrofoam and plastic.

The Robots exhibit had something for everyone--shaded drawings, gaouche, photographs, three dimensional scenes, paintings, statues, and the like. There were original compositions and nostalgic reflections. And most incredibly, there was even a gigantic foam robot overlooking the entire hall--just incredible!

Admission to the San Jose Museum of Art is only $8, less than the price of a theater ticket. The museum is located at 110 Market St, SJ, 95113. Come and support the arts!

For those planning a wedding, Twitterpated Weddings is the way to go!

I'm a believer that a solid planner, whether hired for minimal or maximum assistance, can make or break a wedding. So many things can go wrong: wardrobe malfunctions, food miscalculations, warring relatives...Even if you want to do the bulk of the planning yourself, it's just better for peace of mind to have someone there for those things you might not think of.

Enter Twitterpated Weddings, a planning service which offers as much or as little as you need. It's headed by a former bride who knows the wedding industry. Check out the website at http://www.twitterpatedweddings.com/ and experience the wonder of help just when you need it!

Here's the skinny:
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Get your tresses styled at Cappelli Salon

Let's face it--I'm very particular about who cuts my hair. Maybe I received one too many poorly styled $10 specials at the local discount salon as a child, or maybe no one really taught me me how to properly style my hair. Regardless, I was tickled pink by the service at Capelli Salon in Los Gatos.

My cousin had recommended that I meet with Brianne, and the woman worked miracles with my endlessly frizzy, split-ended, gray-streaked hair. She started with a consultation which helped determine the style of the cut (part/bangs/shape/volume), shampooed my hair, and even incorporated some scalp massage into the wash. For the cut itself, she snipped a bit of my hair while wet, then blow-dried it to ensure the precision of the style. She did the remainder of the cut when my hair was dry, something my former stylists hadn't really done. All of this in under an hour, and I was one thrilled customer.

Since then, the compliments haven't stopped!

I should also give props to the receptionist--she offered me an array of beverage choices, including a dynamite Stash berry tea. She also allowed me to pay with cash or credit card, something which most salons don't do unless you're buying a product. I will definitely go back!

If you're interested, Capelli Salon is located at 14 E. Main St, Los Gatos, CA, 95030.
Parking is available at the top of College Avenue.

Check out the VEP!

Image courtesy of the VEP website

I've always loved the fact that my SJ neighborhood has a corner of unspoilt land, part of which is bordered by Branham Lane and Snell Avenue. I recently learned that this parcel is called Martial Cottle Park, and that the VEP (Vistapark Echo Valley Parkview Valley) Community Association has been fighting to preserve it. The VEP does many things for the community, including tree planting, environmental awareness education, and even presents graduating high school seniors with awards for service. Their meetings often feature local service officials, such as those in law enforcement or politics.

If you're interested, you can visit the VEP website at http://www.vepca.net/

Where Star Trek meets home-cooked meals

DeAngelo's Cafe and Catering is nestled away in a little strip mall at the corner of Branham Lane and Pearl Ave--if you blink, you might it miss it. And how could you miss the chance to sit in the red, gold, or blue sections, all of correspond to Star Trek uniform colors. How could your eyes not wander over the action figures, ornaments, posters, and the like festooning the walls and even hovering over the cooking area?
But let's cut to the chase: even if you're not a Roddenberry devotee, you can still dig the deliciousness that is DeAngelo's cooking.

During my last visit, I ordered a fantastic grilled cheese sandwich which came replete with a salad and an iced tea. My salad arrived first: greens, croutons, kidney beans, and bleu cheese dressing. (Let me add that it was freshly mixed bleu cheese, not something out of a bottle). I didn't even think that I would like the kidney beans, yet somehow they worked with the salad. When my sandwich appeared, I found it just to my liking--moist, cheesy goodness. The iced tea clinked down onto the table with a generous chunk of lemon and a tall spoon for stirring. You know when they give you the tall spoon, you're gonna need to add some sweet-n-low 'cause that stuff be strong!
The staff was just stunning. I was there for an early lunch, so I was able to watch many of the regulars shuffle in--friendly septegenarians there to chat it up with the help and inquire about their welfare. Our waitress was in her sixties and so attentive to us. Our food arrived promptly, efficiently, and could not have been better.
Only one word of caution--they are closed on Mondays, and they're only open until about 3pm on weekdays. So you may want to call before you come. I already want to go back...

DeAngelo's is located at 4472 Pearl Ave, San Jose, CA 95136. You can call them at (408) 265-1979.

Pennzoil Speed Oil Change Center has saved my life

I would go so far as to say that the Pennzoil Speed Oil Change Center, located at 3601 Pearl Ave, has saved my life. It's certainly saved my car much wear and tear over the years. The mechanics are efficient, friendly, and honest. They'll always let you know if your tires are wearing thin, your wiper blades need replacing, or if your air filter has started choking. In addition, they'll recommend what will work best for your car, whether it's a synthetic blend or something simpler. And if they can't fix it, they'll send you to someone who can. You gotta love their honesty.

SF jaunt

So what with my incredible time at WonderCon last week, I was itching to return to SF and absorb the Mary Blair exhibit at the Cartoon Art Museum. A couple of friends and I drove to South SF and took BART in to Montgomery. We regaled ourselves with the Mary Blair art along with the museum's other collections (my favorites included "Sex and Sensibility" as well as the film cells and 1700s era etching...most awesome). My only regret: I wanted more of the Mary Blair pieces! The woman was absolutely brilliant. And not only that, but SJSU can claim her as their own. I'm so proud to be able to say that I graduated from the same university as this award-winning, Jacqueline Kennedy impressing, talented mother of two. Damn straight.
Once we'd finished up at the art museum, we headed up Kearny to Baladie Cafe for some Middle Eastern lunch fare. On the way, we passed Maiden Lane. Just the day before, due to a PBS special (yes, I'm addicted at times), I'd learned that this was ironically named, since it had formerly been a street of prostitution. I was stoked to find it. In any case, we headed on because we were starving.
Once at Baladie, I ordered their reasonably priced dipping platter, which came with tabbouleh salad, humus, tomato, cucumber, falafel, and flatbread. Their humus was ridiculously good. I kept dipping and scooping until I was absolutely stuffed. My friends ordered a wrap and a soup/spinach pie combo, respectively, and we were all raving about the goodness. I kept saying that I lived in the wrong city, because SJ has nothing like this place. Mmmmmmm!
After lunch, we wandered over to the nearby Paul Frank store (I believe it was on Hardie), then ended up heading uphill (and paralleling Kearny) on Grant St. This inevitably led us into Chinatown. I knew that this was the time to pick up a Good Luck Cat, since I'd been looking for an authentic one for some time and wasn't about to buy the bookstore kit one. I found a pouting one which suited me just fine, and also found a monkey trio for Jarrod and a protective figure for myself. (Loved it!) We popped in and out of a number of stores, until my friend admitted that we were slowly making our way towards the City Lights bookstore.

City Lights! I'd been wanting to visit the place for a good 9 years and simply hadn't known its whereabouts. (Holy Ferlinghetti, Batman!) And we were off. On the way, I spotted St. Mary's church, a place which had been constructed before the 1906 earthquake and which had managed to avoid destruction. We continued up the hill and finally reached Columbus Street. I think that we spent a good hour or so in the store, wandering down to the basement, heading upstairs to the poetry section, perusing dozens of amazing titles. (I was especially intrigued by the "Stolen Continents" section). I purchased a collection of poetry and a postcard emphasizing the store's devotion to free speech. (And if you're unfamiliar with it, just look up the history of Allen Ginsberg's "Howl," and you'll get the picture). Just incredible...
At this point, it was nearing six and time to get back. We crossed over to Kearny and headed back to BART that way. Two guys asked us for directions to a bank, so thankfully we didn't look touristy. (I've made a conscious effort to avoid looking so, although my occasional photography may out me). I'm all about walking with a purpose and really getting to know a city. You never know when you'll need it.
I also noticed that the aforementioned Maiden Lane was open, whereas it had previously been gated off. I couldn't resist running into the street and "frolicking," as my friend put it.
I look forward to my next trip....