The San Jose Rock n’ Roll Half Marathon races through downtown San Jose this Sunday, October 2. The festivities begin Friday with the Health & Fitness Expo at the McEnery Convention Center. The expo features over 60 exhibitors offering free samples, showcasing the latest in running gear, sports apparel, health & nutritional information and much more. You can pick up some last-minute race essentials before race day. All runners must visit the expo to pick up their race number, swag bag and t-shirt. The expo is free to the public, and will be open Friday 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm, and Saturday from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm.

The half marathon starts Sunday morning at 8:00 am on W. Santa Clara Street near the Axis high-rise, on the corner of Almaden Blvd. The 13.1 mile course winds through downtown San Jose as it heads to the Rose Garden before returning back to Cesar Chavez Park in downtown San Jose. Along the way, 14 bands will entertain runners and cheerleaders alike. After the race, enjoy the sounds of Big Head Todd and the Monsters.

Be aware of road closures. For a complete course map and list of road closures, please visit http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/san-jose.

What: San Jose Rock n’ Roll Half Marathon and Health & Fitness Expo

When: Health & Fitness Expo – Friday, September 30, 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm, and Saturday, October 1, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm.
Rock n’ Roll Half Marathon – Sunday, October 2, 8:00 am start time

Where: Health & Fitness Expo – San Jose McEnery Convention Center
150 W. San Carlos Street in downtown San Jose

Rock n’ Roll Half Marathon
Start Line: W. Santa Clara Street near Almaden Blvd.
Finish Line: Cesar Chavez Park in downtown San Jose

I’ve heard good things about the movie Moneyball. Being from the Bay Area and a one-time A’s fan makes me want to see it that much more.

Tomorrow night a group of Baseball San Jose boosters — including Willow Glen businessman Michael Mulcahy and former state Assemblyman Jim Cunneen — are getting a group together at Camera 12 in downtown San Jose to see the Brad Pitt movie about the Oakland A’s and general manager Billy Beane. The meetup at 201 S. Second Street is at 6:15 p.m., 35 minutes before the movie starts.

You’re encouraged to wear Baseball San Jose or A’s apparel – you’ll get $1 off admission if you do. Come show your support for bringing the A’s to San Jose.

For more info, or to RSVP to join the group, visit http://baseballsanjose.blogspot.com.

What: Movie Night with Baseball San Jose Supporters - Moneyball starring Brad Pitt

When: Wednesday, September 28, 6:15 pm (movie starts at 6:50 pm)

Where: Camera 12 in downtown San Jose
201 S. Second Street, across from The 88 high rise residential complex

Months after having to shutter it’s downtown San Jose grocery store due to the economy and stiff competition from The Market, local grocer Zanotto’s has once again risen from the ashes like a phoenix to re-open Zanotto’s Express on First Street. The new Zanotto’s does what they’ve always done best – offer a quick, healthy, and delicious lunch or dinner for local workers and residents. There is a huge refrigerator with pre-made sandwiches (I had a great prosciutto panini the other day – delicious!) and 15+ pre-made salads. All their pre-made offerings are made fresh daily at their Rose Garden location. They also offer several Grab-and-Go pre-made meal selections such as pastas, twice-baked potatoes, burritos – perfect for the SJSU student or high-rise resident who is looking for a quick, homemade meal. Two fresh soups are available daily. The focal point of the new space is the deli counter where you can build your own sandwich. There are plenty of meat, cheese, and condiment options to please even the most discerning palate. Round out your meal with plenty of unique beverages (including a nice selection of local wines) and delicious sweet treats. You’ll also find several specialty Italian foods such as olive oil, gourmet cheeses and pasta. There is plenty of seating both indoors and out. So next time you’re craving a tasty sandwich, stop by Zanotto’s – you’ll be glad you did.

What: Zanotto’s Express
Where: 80 S. 1st Street, between San Fernando and Santa Clara Streets in downtown San Jose
When: Open Monday - Friday from 10:30 am – 6:00 pm

This Saturday, September 17, marks the 15th anniversary of Silicon Valley’s premier dog event, Bark in the Park. Taking place in the beautiful William Street Park in the historic Naglee Park district of downtown San Jose, Bark in the Park is a fun-filled day for animal-lovers and their pooches.

Some of the highlights of the event include the Canine Costume Content, Silly Dog Tricks, Tail Wagging Contest, Mutts in Motion Flyball Clinic, and my favorite, the Pet-Owner Look-a-Like Contest. There will also be live music, kid’s activities, and plenty of food and drink for humans and canines. There will be specialty vendors offering everything from collars and leashes to plush doggie beds, and everything in between. Visit www.barksanjose.org for a schedule of events or for more information.

What: Bark in the Park

When: Saturday, September 17, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Where: William Street Park, at the corner of William and 16th Streets, in downtown San Jose

If you missed all the hubbub at the San Pedro Square Market in downtown San Jose last weekend and want to see what all the fuss is about, stop by this weekend for SJ Made x SJ Eats. I don’t know if you, like me, ventured out to the very first SJ Eats back in April, but it was crazy! Over 10,000 people showed up, there were hours-long lines – it was madness. Luckily organizer Ryan Sebastian of Treatbot and his team have learned lessons from that first try. They now host a weekly Moveable Feast every Saturday morning on St. John Street across from the San Pedro Square Market. This weekend they’re giving SJ Eats with the SJ Made vendor fair another go.

Here’s the line-up of food trucks so far:

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 11:00 am to 3:00 pm
An the Go – Garlic Noodles and Asian Fusion
Eat on Monday - Sandwiches
MoBowl – Meals in a Bowl
MoGo BBQ – Korean BBQ
O Mi Ninja _ Vietnamese Street Food
Sanguchon – Peruvian Sangucheria
Soulnese – Soul and Chinese – Food for Your Soul!
Treatbot – Ice Cream and Karaoke

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 11:00 am to 3:00 pm
BBQ Kalbi – Korean Fusion Food
House of Siam - Thai
Iz It – Hawaiian, Chinese, Pan-Asian Fresh Grill
Le Bon – Fresh Vietnamese and French Cuisine
Louisiana Territory – Cajun Specialties
Sam’s Chowdermobile – Lobster Rolls, Chowder
Soulnese – Soul and Chinese Food

Along with all the good food will be many local vendors selling their wares – everything from clothing to jewelry to handmade art and collectibles. There will be entertainment all day long. The San Pedro Square Market Bar will be open serving libations, and hopefully a stall or two at the market will be open as well.

What: SJ Eats x SJ Made Food Truck and Vendor Fair

When: Saturday and Sunday, September 17 & 18, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm

Where: San Pedro Square Market, on St. John Street between N. San Pedro and N. Almaden Avenues, 1 block south of City Heights high-rise residential condo complex in downtown San Jose.

If you didn’t have the opportunity to venture out to the San Pedro Square Market Sign Lighting Party last Friday in downtown San Jose, you missed a heckuva good time. The market bar did a booming business all night long serving up beer and cocktails, including specialty mojitos. The Vino Vino wine bar also did a brisk business, giving us a preview of some of the local wines they’ll be serving. They also dished up yummy appetizers for all. And Pizza Bucca Lupo gave us a hint of their delicious Neopolitan pizza as they worked to cure their imported pizza oven. It was a lovely night to sit out on the patio and listen to the Jim Stevens & Friends band. Councilman Sam Liccardo was on hand to flip the switch on the 180-foot long neon sign, along with the mayor, Chuck Reed, former mayor Tom McEnery, and other local luminaries. There was a definite buzz in the air. Downtown residents and visitors are clearly very excited for the market to open!

This week marks the return of Silicon Valley Restaurant Week to downtown San Jose and surrounding environs in the South Bay. The participating restaurants of Silicon Valley Restaurant Week offer a discounted three-course fixed price dinner menu each night they are open September 14 - 21, 2011.

Diners get a chance to sample cuisine from a broad selection of restaurants at a very affordable price. Meals include appetizer, entrée and dessert. Restaurateurs are asked to offer three options for each course (three appetizers, three entrées and three desserts) so diners have a selection. Restaurant menus can be viewed at www.siliconvalleyrestaurantweek.com. It’s a great way for restaurants to thank local customers and for consumers to show their support for restaurants.

New this year is the offering of drink specials. Some of the participating restaurants are offering specially-priced wine flights, beer tastings, even tequila samples!

While many of the participating restaurants are centered in downtown San Jose (restaurants like Arcadia, La Piñata, Morton’s, the Steakhouse, and Paolo’s) there are many other Silicon Valley cities participating – places like Los Gatos Brewing Company (Los Gatos and downtown San Jose), The Fish Market (Palo Alto, South San Jose, San Mateo and Santa Clara), Blowfish Sushi (Santana Row), Sent Sovi (Saratoga), and Il Postale (Sunnyvale).

Organizers of Silicon Valley Restaurant Week are expecting a huge turnout, so reservations are highly recommended. You can make reservations by going to the Silicon Valley Restaurant Week website, selecting the Restaurants page, and hitting the Book Now button next to the restaurants you’d like to dine at. Or you can call the restaurant directly. Click here to go to the Restaurants page.

So log off, dine out. You deserve a night out.

A few photos from the 9/11 Memorial Tribute today in downtown San Jose at the Fire Station on Market Street. Never forget.

San Pedro Square in downtown San Jose is abuzz as work furiously continues at the San Pedro Square Market as it heads towards the finish line to its Grand Opening on October 22.

This Friday, September 9, market manager Steve Borkenhagen will be lighting the cool retro neon San Pedro Square Market sign. The festivities start at 6:00 pm with drinks from the San Pedro Square Market Bar and catering courtesy of Vino Vino, the soon to open wine bar at the market. There will be entertainment provided by Jim Stevens & Friends. Come out and meet the San Pedro Square Market team, have a cold beer and nosh on some yummy appetizers, watch the ceremonial sign lighting, and hang out in San Pedro Square. It will be a great way to spend a Friday night out in downtown San Jose.

Check out a previous article about the San Pedro Market Square sign here.

Also coming soon to the San Pedro Square Market is version 2.0 of SJMade/SJEats on Saturday and Sunday, September 17 and 18. Check back here for all the details.

What: Sign Lighting Party at the San Pedro Square Market

When: Friday, September 9. Party starts at 6:00 pm, sign lighting will take place at dusk.

Where: San Pedro Square Market in downtown San Jose.
On St. John Street between N. San Pedro and N. Almaden Avenues, 1 block south of City Heights high-rise residential condo complex.

To keep up on the latest San Pedro Square Market news, visit their website at www.sanpedrosquaremarket.com.

The old MLK Library, set amidst the towering Marriot Hotel, Hilton Hotel, and San Jose McEnery Convention Center in downtown San Jose, is being torn down to make way for a much needed convention center expansion.

Built in 1970 by local architect Norton Curtis, the Brutalist building was never very visitor friendly. The huge concrete front was surrounded by a moat that put most of the windows and natural sunlight below street level. And the poorly designed interior space with its high ceilings and large escalators offered little room for actual books.

The old library was replaced in 2003 by a sparkling new, user-friendly, modern high-rise building on the San Jose State University campus in downtown San Jose. The new library houses over 1.5 million volumes on 10 levels. There are 40 group study rooms, 300 public access computers, seating for 3500, wifi throughout the building, and 35 works of public art.

Team San Jose CEO Bill Sherry led one last “ghost tour” of the old building last Monday before a demolition team starts dismantling the interior. The new library offers one hour docent-led tours every Thursday morning and includes discussions about the building’s design, sustainable features, collections and art.

The new Martin Luther King, Jr. Library is located in downtown San Jose at 150 E. San Fernando Street, on the corner of S. 4th Street, one block east of The 88 high-rise residential complex. Visit www.sjlibrary.org for hours and visitor information.