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CONTENT Issue 6.3 STAGE Aug/Sept 2014

Display until September 15th

CUlture Theft Thomas Tissot Stephanie Rue O’Neill Chris Pounders

featuring:

Lisa Mallette_City Lights Theater Company Classic Loot_Vintage Mobile Boutique Leland Wilcox_City Influencer Paper Plane_Craft Cocktails Lou Bermingham_Artist content magazine, san jose

stagE 6.3 $9.95

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CONTENT Issue 6.3 “Stage” Aug/Sept 2014 The Makers: Cultivator Daniel Garcia Marketeer Sarah Garcia Managing Editor Flora Moreno de Thompson Writers/Editors Leah Ammon, Nathan Zanon, Lynn Peithman Stock Managing Photo Editor Gregory Cortez Production/Social Media Victoria Felicity Kristen Pfund Distribution Sarah Hale

Writers Mark Haney, Justin San Diego, Gillian Claus, Lam Nguyen, Anna Bagirov, Isara Krieger, Victoria Felicity, Chad Hall, Michelle Runde Designers Brian Gomez, Brian Jensen Sean Lopez, Kevin Zittle Photographers Lam Nguyen, Ajay Fay, Daniel Gaines Victoria Felicity, Gregory Cortez, Stan Olszewski, Chris Lovos, Melanie Riccardi Interns Sarah Baylis, Jonathan Keshishoglou Circulation Leo Bevilacqua

We have all heard the saying, “It’s the journey, not the destination,” and even though I love the final landing and arrival much more than the travel, I have to acknowledge that life is about the transitions and phases. As time marches on, so do our lives and the things we do. Whether producing a play, making a cocktail, starting a business or growing a city there are stages that need to be built upon before reaching a goal. In this issue, we feature a few people in our community that in are various spots in that process: a glimpse into their lives and their stages.

Enjoy.

Daniel Garcia The Cultivator

IN THIS ISSUE Studio Current / No Water After Midnight / California Theatre / Classic Loot To participate in Content Magazine: editor@content-magazine.com Subscription & Advertising information available by contacting sarahg@content-magazine.com

Content Stage 6.3

Aug/Sept 2014 San Jose, California

Sister city 8

San JosĂŠ, Costa Rica

CULTURE

10 Urbanism 14 California Theatre

ART

18 Artist, Lou Bermingham 22 Artist, Colin Frangicetto

Profiles 26 28

30 32 36

Classic Loot, Tam Tran City Light Theater Company, Lisa Mallette Tech CU, Barbara Kamm Studio Current, Jeff Current Downtown Influencer, Leland Wilcox

Barbara Kamm, pg. 30

Place

40 Paper Plane, Rob Monroe &

George Lahlouh

Music

44 No Water After Midnight 48 Culture Theft

Classic Loot, pg. 26

Show

50 The Dinner Detective 51 Contributors 52 Local’s Choice,

Leah Toeniskoetter

Content Magazine is a bimonthly publication about the innovative and creative culture of Silicon Valley.

To participate in the production or distribution contact: editor@content-magazine.com

Studio Current, pg. 32

Colin Frangicetto, pg. 22

August-September 2014 Aug. 9

George Lopez

Aug. 1

Dionne Warwick

Aug. 17

American Idol Live!

Aug. 9

Gurdas Maan

Aug. 19

Yes

Aug. 27- Sept. 14

Aug. 24

Alejandra Guzmán

Sept. 21

Le Quyen Live Show

Sept. 1

Shreya Ghoshal

Sept 10

Tyler Perry’s “Hell Hath No Fury Like a Woman Scorned”

Sept. 16

Rob Zombie

Sept. 19

Crosby, Stills & Nash

Sept. 20

The Music of Led Zeppelin

Sept. 25

Diana Ross

Aug. 2

Prajna: The Great Wisdom

Aug. 9 -10

San Jose Jazz Summer Fest

Aug. 15

SF Global Movie Fest Gala

Aug. 17

The Glenn Miller Orchestra

Sept. 6-21

Rigoletto

Sept. 11-12

C2SV Technology Conference + Music Festival

July 25 -Aug. 3

Side Show

Aug. 7-10

Disney’s The Jungle Book

Aug. 16

Vengeance, Betrayal, Desire & Fire!

Wicked

Sept. 27-28 An Italian Tour

For ticketing and venue rental information, visit: www.SanJoseTheaters.org

sister cIties President Dwight Eisenhower established the sister city program in 1956 to foster global awareness and peaceful relations. For the next seven issues, a design team from one of our city’s sisters will present their view of their home town.

San José, Costa Rica Written by 77 Design

Picture yourself strolling along a walkway in a colorful, downtown park. It’s t-shirt weather, traditional music is in the air, and the smiles of kids playing around you make you smile, too. You’re in San Jose!

BUt you’re not in San Jose, California; you’re in its sister city of San José, Costa Rica.

San JOse’s Sister Cities

San José, Costa Rica Okayama, Japan Veracruz, Mexico Tainan, Taiwan Dublin, Ireland Pune, India Ekaterinburg, Russia

The scene described above is a very common one on the energetic streets of San José, the capital of Costa Rica.

San José is a busy city during the week, with every tico and tica (what Costa Ricans call themselves) moving along the streets and avenues, going to work to support themselves and their families.

Part of the routine of these hardworking citizens is the Central Market. In this compact labyrinth of tiny shops and stands, you can find practically anything from souvenirs to clothes to appliances. The vibrant sights of the Market, combined with the sounds of conversations from shop owners and clients and the variety of exotic and captivating fragrances will give you an unforgettable Costa Rican experience.

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You might want to take advantage of your visit to the Central Market to try one of the traditional dishes, the casado, in one of the Market’s quaint sodas, or small restaurants. The casado is a very filling meal commonly associated with the working class, given its high nutrition and cheap price. The platter consists of rice, black beans, your choice of protein (be it chicken, steak, pork chops, fish, chicharron, or fried pork skin), a small salad, and fried plantains.

Despite all the fast-paced urban action, it is possible to find sanctuary in San José. There are places spread across the city where time slows down and one can take a nice, deep breath while admiring the beauty they have to offer.

For those looking to learn more about the history and culture of Costa Rica, visit the National Museum, the PreColumbian Gold Museum, and the Jade Museum. Here, you’ll discover what life was like in the multiple regions of Costa Rica before the arrival of the Spaniards approximately 1,500 years ago, and how it changed after their arrival.

If museums are not your thing and you would rather spend the day outdoors, San José has plenty of parks where you can relax and possibly practice your haggling skills with a local street vendor. You can take a walk through España Park, La Paz Park, or Morazán Park, all of them full of sights to explore and enjoy.

As part of the municipality’s recent efforts to attract both internal and external tourism to San José, various campaigns have been implemented that have become a must for anyone interested in checking out the city, and to get a better feeling of the Costa Rican identity. One of these is the “Fall in Love with Your City” campaign.

Taking place mostly on weekend mornings and afternoons, this event aims to strengthen the locals’ love of the capital through various activities that promote fun, rest, education, physical activity, and participation from all ages. These activities encompass visual art workshops, all sorts of traditional dances, yoga, indigenous music, arts, and many other fun exercises to engage people in local culture.

If you aren’t quite in the mood for all that, hop on one of the four different bus routes that are part of the free “Art City Tour,” and get off at any of the 18 stops that most interest you.

A recommended stop is the café Cafeoteca, a homey café where you will be able taste authentic and aromatic Costa Rican strained coffee. In this same café, it’s possible to order a delicious traditional drink called agua dulce, which literally means “sweet water.” Made with ground panela, a solidified derivative of sugar cane juice, this drink is made by mixing the panela with boiling water and, if requested, milk, making it a sweet and warming beverage usually found in the colder climates of the country.

Jade Museum 7th Ave., 1st floor of INS building +506.2287.6034 bit.ly/JadeMuseoCR

Cafeoteca 11th Ave. & 7th St., Kalu Restaurant +506.2221.2091 kalu.co.cr/cafeoteca

“Fall in Love With Your City” Saturdays at España, La Paz, Morazan, and Curridabat Parks +506.8655.1793 enamoratedetuciudad.com

National Museum 17th St., Cuesta de Moras +506.2257.1433 museocostarica.go.cr

Central Market Central Ave., 250 meters northwest of the Central Park

España Park Between 7th and 3rd Ave. and 11th and 17th Streets, Barrio Carmen

Art City Tour Various locations gamcultural.com/tours

Pre-Columbian Gold Museum Between Central and 2nd Avenues, 5th St. +506.2243.4221 museosdelbancocentral.org

Photographer Jorge Jiménez: jorgejimenez.com Morazán Park 3rd Ave., 7th St.

La Paz Park 50th Ave., 11th St. Cascajal

77 Digital 77 Digital is a full-service digital agency and digital production center. They provide creative and technical services to take full advantage of digital media such as websites, marketing campaigns, social media engagement, or mobile applications. They also offer services directly to customers as an agency, as well as outsourcing services to clients outside of Costa Rica..

Once you’re done with everything there’s to do in San José and you find yourself thinking about how much you learned about the Costa Rican culture, you will finally understand the true meaning of the Costa Rican expression “pura vida.”

Forum 1, Building A, 2nd Floor.

Santa Ana, San José Costa Rica +506.2204.7238

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Tableaus of Urbanism/Culture Written by Mark Haney Photography by Daniel Garcia

In its basic form, “urbanism� is defined as the characteristics of urban life and the study or advocacy thereof. But it is more than a dictionary definition to the people who live in the urban environment.

Urbanism has different stages: adventure, discovery, interaction, and participation. For those who live it, urban life is a daily adventure, with new experiences and discoveries every day.

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Discoveries of the environment, like architecture, or museums, or new foods and drinks, or festivals and local events. Discoveries of people, met by chance or maybe old friends. But these discoveries require action and interaction.

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Urbanism lends itself to countless interactions either intentional or not, and not always with people. Maybe it’s a new piece of public art, or a common public space, or park. Maybe it’s just walking down a street or riding a bike.

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Whatever the interaction, the last stage requires participation. Participation is the most essential of the stages because an urban lifestyle is what you make it.

You must be a willing participant, and adventure and discoveries will come.

california theatre/Stage

The Rise and Fall (and Rise) of San Jose’s Glamour Girl Written by Anna Bagirov Photography courtesty of San Jose Theaters

You can’t help but smile when you walk into the California Theatre’s lobby for the first time. It’s lavish. It’s Boardwalk Empire and Great Gatsby in the heart of Downtown San Jose.

First-time visitors feel as if they have stepped back in time to the Jazz Age: the high dome cast plaster ceilings; the intricately ornamented walls; the marble, spiral columns; the rich red and gold mosaic bathed in warm light; and the floors dotted with palms. It all casts a spell.

The California Theatre, San Jose’s “Glamour Girl,” originally opened in 1927 as the Roaring Twenties ushered in mass entertainment for the new urban elite. Local residents and Hollywood movie stars alike gathered to celebrate the city’s new hot spot.

Once pronounced “the finest theater in California,” it is today one of the best preserved architectural gems in the country and among the most intimate opera houses in the world.

It is easy to understand why San Jose residents are proud and visitors are impressed. “Who needs SoHo when you’ve got SoFa?” asks Meghan Horrigan, Director of Communications for Team San Jose, the city’s business and tourism bureau. “The eclectic neighborhood where the California Theatre is located has always been a refuge for artists and those who love them.

The theater fits right into the area. All aspects of the California Theatre are grand.”

The building and theater have a tumultuous history. Just as San Jose’s face has gone through its economic and industrial.transformations—from state capital and agricultural powerhouse, to the computer center of the world—so has the theater. Originally, it was a vaudeville theater and movie palace, but as San Jose’s population became more suburban in the second half of the century, it struggled to draw crowds, and went through several changes in ownership before closing in 1973.

If it were not for the meticulously restored, giant marquee, whose glittering chase lights add an old-world charm to downtown’s SoFa neighborhood, one could say the theater palace is somewhat hidden among the bustling galleries, restaurants, and bars that surround it. Once seated for a performance, it is hard to believe that such an impressively large stage can fit into such an unassuming building.

The building remained shuttered and abandoned for years, and many were afraid it would be torn down like so many other historic buildings in San Jose. But the “Glamour Girl” prevailed. The Redevelopment Agency purchased it and number of South Bay organizations banded together to help return this valuable monument of San Jose culture to its original splendor for future generations.

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An $80 million restoration and renovation project funded by the Redevelopment Agency, the City of San Jose, and the Packard Humanities Institute began in 2001 in order to convert the abandoned movie palace into a top-notch, modern performing arts facility. In 2004 it reopened with Team San Jose at the helm of management and operation.

As part of the renovation, many photos were uncovered; “Some in color,” explains Horrigan. “As a result, what you see today is not the original, but close to it.”

private events in its gorgeous atmosphere: weddings, corporate functions, red carpet events, speaker series, and movie premieres, to name just a few.

The theater is home to Opera San Jose and Symphony Silicon Valley and plays host every year to the Cinequest Film Festival.

Construction and painstaking refurbishment required intensive and careful research. The entire stage house was gutted and rebuilt. It now has a 1,122 seating capacity and the stage is designed to present diverse productions and events. The wings on either side of the stage are significantly larger and a loading dock was installed for street access. All seating standards are cast from the original molds.

The deep red seats are one hundred percent wool and the carpet is custom loomed in Europe. The dressing rooms alone can accommodate up to 74 people. Two Wurlitzer organs were commissioned for the theater. The marquee was reproduced at its original size and detail by studying historic drawings and photographs.

With SAP Center down the street and the new Levi’s Stadium less than a few miles away, it is comforting that the San Jose community has access to a classic and glamorous theater The venue now boasts state-of-the- experience. art production and audio visual technology. A two-story addition contains If an event is meant to impress and a lavish conference space and out- dazzle, there may be no better locadoor courtyard with a fountain. The tion than the California Theatre. theatre is adaptable in that it plays host to an array of both public and

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SanJoseTheaters.org | 345 South First St., San Jose, CA 95113 | facebook: sanjosetheaters

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Lou Bermingham/Artist

Moving Up Towards The Light Written by Chad Hall Photography by Melanie Riccardi

The tragedy of interviewing talented and amazing people is you have more material than you have space to print. My exchange with painter Lou Bermingham was no exception. Here are some of my favorite bits.

How did you start off in art? I was always drawing on everything from the time I could crawl. My mother was really supportive of the fact I wanted to draw and made sure I always had paper and colored pencils—so I’d stay off the walls. Then at about five a family friend, whose father had been a noted Swiss sculptor, noticed my obsession with drawing and bought me a set of oil paints and brushes. That set me off into painting. The first painting I ever did was of the devil, then I did one of Joan of Arc being burned at the stake, and one of Tarzan.

What appeals to you about abstract art over representational art? I evolved into doing non-representational works.

Before, I was working in a sort of post-modern surrealistic fashion.

Then things started to “float” around more in my paintings and I gradually began letting go and simplifying my imagery. I had been working with various symbols and shapes for years in my sketches and drawings—not ones I’d really studied, they were more like shapes I’d been repeating.

These shapes and symbols started to glide into the work, and I would sort of obscure them until, more and more, they became layered as if Time had slid them into the underside of the “subconscious” of my pieces.

young artists are going to come up with even more amazing work. So I think technology is making all sorts of different art available to a much broader spectrum of people. For myself, I’m still such a tactile person. I really need the process of getting my hands on actual paper or canvas or wood...

How do you see technology affecting art?

There are all sorts of exciting things happening with technology—the SubZero Festival certainly works with that. For me, I think the internet is an amazing place to share and discover all sorts of different artists or art things that are happening globally.

How do you deal with creative resistance?

Rain or shine, tired or energized, I show up at the studio after my day job [teaching art at Independence High School]. I set regular hours and work. Inspiration is a myth in terms of waiting for it to happen. The Muse only comes if you show up and work.

Once in a while, she might hit you over the head with “inspiration.” My Aikido centering practice helps me get through tough spots which we all encounter.

You know digital prints? I mean they’re pretty amazing, right? And that’s not even new anymore. I really like Bill Viola’s video work, and I think the

What turns you on creatively? Walking down a street and looking at a beautiful leaf, a flower, the play of light on a color. Listening to my wife, Christy,

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“The Muse only comes if you show up and work.”

Lou Bermingham

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sing a song. Looking at the ocean.

The sound of a hummingbird. Sitting on top of the Great Pyramid. Looking at a cave painting 15,000-yearsold. Looking at a Gauguin painting.

Listening to John Lennon, Muddy Waters, Amy Winehouse—bless her troubled soul!

If you go back in time, then there’s Michelangelo, Caravaggio, Bernini... ancient arts of Asia, Africa, and the ancient Maya, Inca, Mixtec. It’s all inspirational to me. It charges me up.

Do you paint to music, silence, or something else? I always listen to music. I listen to all sorts of different music: zydeco, soul, rhythm and blues, a little Bach or Satie, followed by Led Zeppelin,

followed by Lightnin’ Hopkins, Charlie Parker, Coltrane, Chet Baker, and ending maybe with Frank Sinatra, Edith Piaf, Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, and Stevie Wonder to chase it all down. I’m all over the map. And throw in some classical Arabic music followed by Robert Fripp of King Crimson, and REM for later.

things you wouldn’t otherwise, but the stereotypical tortured artist image, we need to move beyond that. Little too much melodrama for my taste.

In art, is there a place that you are trying to get to? If so, where? I’m trying to get off on the top at the last stop of the elevator.

What one place would you like to see one I’m moving up towards the Light, of your paintings hung? In one of the and down into the Earth, towards the caves in Lascaux in the Dordogne, Dark.

France, next to a 15,000 year old cave painting of a horse or a bison.

Do you believe that art comes from pain?

I’m in pain all the time, baby! Pass the bottle of wine. In all seriousness, yeah, you know pain makes you go through

P.O. Box 1183 Los Gatos, CA 95031 | www.loubermingham.com | facebook: lou.bermingham | loubermingham@comcast.net

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Colin Frangicetto/Artist

Of Bands and Brushes Written by Lam Nguyen Photography by Lam Nguyen

For Colin Frangicetto, change has been as much a part of his life as art or music. I meet with him only a week after one of the largest, most complex moves of his life and, given that he is a touring musician in two completely different bands, that’s saying something. Even a portion of this interview is conducted remotely—he is just about to go on tour, yet again.

stick figures and all of sudden we’d have this big flip book of all this stuff happening. We’d end up making these elaborate stories with stick figures.

That eventually spawned me drawing the stuff I wanted. All my friends got Nintendos, and I didn’t get one—so I just drew it for a couple of years until my parents finally got the hint. I Most know Frangicetto as the lead had so many drawings of Nintendo guitarist for the band Circa Survive, systems and controllers. I just drew with whom he has been recording them over and over again. and touring since 2004. He has also embarked upon a solo project, Did you ever take art in school? Once Psychic Babble, which is set to tour I was in school, I remember really this summer. Outside of music, and hating art class. I remember getting in some sense because of it, he has really excited for it in elementary also been cultivating a fine art career. school and then realizing that it just sucks. I came back around to it in How long has art been a part of your high school when I took a graphics life? Well, if we take it way back, my class. They weren’t strictly art classes dad was really good at curing our and we did some more technical boredom. He’d find little ways to things. We silkscreened shirts and I keep us occupied by saying things remember that sparking something in like “let’s draw a battle scene.” We’d me. I went on to learn photography, start out drawing a battle scene with how to develop film, and print. I was

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really into photography for a while. I’d say from tenth grade until about my second year of college.

How has music influenced your art? Well, I was taking a ton of photos and, at the same time, I was going to a ton of punk and hardcore shows. Eventually, I became known as the guy who would take pictures at all the shows.

Photos, art, music, graphics—they were all part of the same thing for me so it’s not that one influences the other. It feels like they all really come from the same place and it’s just a matter of what speaks to you at the moment.

What brought you back to the medium of fine art? About six years or so, when Circa Survive was on the Warped Tour, I had too much time and was bored quite a bit. I felt like I needed another outlet and I was really inspired because we had just gone out [on tour] with Dredg and Drew Roulette—their bassist— would just bust out a painting a day. It was another dimension of artistry for

Colin Frangicetto

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him as well as being another source of income. After seeing that, I started to do the same. I got Anthony [Green, Circa Survive’s singer] into it as well and we would do some of the same things as the Dredg guys. We’d raffle off paintings and that experience was where art really started again for me.

What motivated you to continue it as more than just a hobby or escape? When I was back home that summer, our local record store was going out of business. It was pretty dear to us and they were trying to get a new location so we decided to try and help them out. We did quite a few things as a band to help: shirts, a 7”, a couple of shows...but I had the idea of doing some kind of community event as well

so I put together an art show where we’d sell our pieces and donate the proceeds. It was the first time I had to really sit down and put together a body of work.

The benefit was the first experience I had with selling my artwork, and I had a taste of what it would be like to do it as part of my living. I made something like 50 pieces and probably took in about $2,000, so it wasn’t anything crazy, but it gave some idea of what I needed to do to produce a body of work and make money as a fine artist.

friends over and we started a little art club where we’d get together, hang out, and basically paint all night. It was such a strong sense of community.

That collective experience solidified for me how much I enjoyed doing art and helped push me to continue it. Sure, it’s nice to know that it can help support me and support the life I want to live, but I wouldn’t really work as hard at it if I didn’t love it as much as I do.

What do you value most about art as an experience? It’s funny, because during that summer off, in order to prepare for the benefit event, I would invite

colinfrangicetto.com | twitter: @unconsciousart | instagram: @colincirca

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Classic Loot/Profile

Have Vintage, Will Travel Written by Michelle Runde Photography by Stan Olszewski

Finding a vintage shop or a food truck isn’t too difficult in the Bay Area, but finding a vintage truck is. Classic Loot is a vintage and vintage-inspired accessories store on wheels which has been cruising around the Bay Area since 2013. Founder, owner, and full-time thrifter Tam Tran spoke to Content about her revolutionary mobile boutique.

gave me really good feedback. They loved it. And I thought, maybe I can do this, turn it into business. I originally was thinking Etsy and eBay. Then SJMade had a holiday fair in December and I did really well there, and it’s just morphed from there.

WHERE DO YOU GO FOR THE BEST ITEMS? I go to vintage shops, garage sales, and flea markets. Some in San Jose, some in Oakland, just wherever I go.

Last year, I had to go out to Michigan and my boyfriend and I did a road trip back. We were able to pick up a ton of stuff from the Midwest that was actually hard to part with. When people bought those items I would tell them about my trip, so they each could have a bit of history behind them.

ARE YOU A NATIVE SAN JOSEAN? I was born in San Francisco, then moved to San Jose when I was three. I went back for college and worked there in graphic design. Then I quit my job and came home to San Jose to do Classic Loot.

That was back in 2011-2012. I still do freelance graphic design work with for extra cash, but a lot of what I do for Classic Loot—logo design, the packaging, all of that—relates back to what I studied. So I guess going to MOST PEOPLE OPEN A PERMANENT STORE. WHY school was worth it.

DID YOU CHOOSE TO OPEN A TRUCK? Before 2010, I was in New York for my THAT’S A BIG TRANSITION. WHAT INSPIRED YOU design job. I saw an ice cream truck TO DO THAT? The funny thing is, I wasn’t that was selling men’s apparel called even into jewelry or accessories, but I “Cream.” They were selling t-shirts was always a thrifter. I was at my job out of the side window and I thought for about five years and I just needed that was such a cool idea. But I didn’t a change. It literally happened over- think of it again until years later, as I night. I was driving with my boyfriend did more events with a table set-up. in Hayward and there was a garage People always asked me “Where’s sale. I stopped by and picked up your shop?” and I was always sad some stuff. This was when Instagram when I had to tell them that I didn’t had just started and there weren’t that know yet. Leasing was too expensive. many people on it yet. I just posted With all the new food trucks becomthe things that I’d found, and people ing a trend, and thinking back to the

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“Cream” truck, I thought why not do that myself? I began to search for a specific truck that would meet my needs. But they were all too old, too big, needed diesel, etc. I had almost given up on the idea, until I happened to be in the East Bay and I came upon a truck yard where ice cream trucks were parked to restock. I saw a truck by itself on the other side of a fence and I knew it was perfect. I spoke to the owner, and even though he wasn’t intending to sell, he said for the right offer he would. So then I had a truck! It’s shorter than most food trucks; a 1987 GMC Grumman Olson 3500 so I can drive it and actually park it. The grand opening was November 2013, so this is its first summer.

WHAT DO YOU DO IN THE BAY AREA FOR FUN? Most things I do in my free time revolve around my work. This is my only bread and butter. I’m a constant thrifter. I love going out to thrift shops, flea markets, and garage sales and bringing home crap that I don’t even need. But it’s funny because later on people ask for particular items for like a baby shower or something and I can say “I have that!” Oh, and I love going to concerts. I recently saw Tony Toni Toné! which is a bit older now, but it’s music I loved growing up with.

classicloot.com | twitter: @classicloot | instagram: @classicloot | facebook: shopclassicloot

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city lights/Profile

Local Theater Makes Good Written by Gillian Claus Photography by Daniel Gaines

There is no hot water, no curtain, and a large crack in the back wall they share with the Quilt Museum. So why is City Lights Theater still swimming above water when other local companies have had to throw in the towel?

Executive Artistic Director Lisa Mallette thinks it’s because City Lights is telling relevant stories that people want to hear. And she must be on to something, because in an era when subscribers are getting older, 42% of their audience is under 45.

When the theme of a show explored homelessness, for example, InnVision was the chosen partner. That choice is about exposure, not cash, explains Mallette. “$5 out of every ticket sold through marketing is returned to that nonprofit.”

“There is nothing off-putting about this space,” says Mallette, indicating a hundred comfortable seats complete with cup holders. Because they have designed the acting space to be equivalent to the seating area, the wall between audience member and performer is intentionally broken.

“The actors have no place to hide.”

The company even has a party on stage after every show—to immediately react to the story and ask questions. After two years of parties, a consistent 30-50% of the audience stays to share a glass of wine and chat with the cast. Every patron is presented with a little token of hospitality after each show, to be kept as a reminder of a great evening—the current memento is love hearts attached to a bag of sourdough starter.

What types of stories can audiences expect? Currently, seasons contain three “unheard-of” plays and three familiar pieces. “It’s a gentle push.

Slightly provocative and a little outside their comfort zone,” says Mallette, admitting that she loves to read new works. Their New Play Series runs four to six nights each year, featuring the work of local playwrights.

These ideas have made City Lights a theatrical destination for a new generation. Part of the reason they have spent ten years in the black is a desire to barter and work with the community, rather than borrow money from the banks. In exchange for sharing parking, Notre Dame High School presents their fall play free of charge and Metro swaps advertising for parking spaces. Cafe Stritch sells a City Lights cocktail themed with the current show at a discount to patrons.

For 12 years, the productions have been paired with local nonprofits.

does not run the company from an insular place. Her role is mainly producing and running the company, directing one or two shows each season. But to stay connected with the process, she acts every few years, too. The staff is a tightly-knit ensemble that includes a 21-year-old resident lighting designer and a sound designer who composes original music for each production. Mallette’s husband, actor Kit Wilder, writes grants for the organization.

Still, there is no water heater and the building is rented. Much of their income has to be spent on improving their technical setup. They only recently bought headsets, for example; prior to that, the stage manager had to give cues to the operators.

Without a shop, all the building work must happen inside the theater itself– there are no quiet moments.

Another benefit is that local actors are provided with a professional, positive experience. “It’s often their last nonunion gig,” says Mallette. “A community needs different stepping stones if they want to keep artists around.”

About 50% of each cast is made up It seems Mallette prefers things that of veterans who are more than willing way. She sums the company up as to be mentors for new actors. fun, passionate, and ambitious. With a commitment to developing emergThe 32-year-old company has no tol- ing artists and challenging new audierance for divas or back-stabbing, ences, that ambition is being realized believing that the energy in such an daily. City Lights hopes to stay strong intimate space needs to be posi- and grow a little more each year, tive and collaborative. Taking risks bringing theater to a young demois encouraged, an attitude that tran- graphic that is ready to experience scends the whole organization, this type of storytelling. including the ticket office. Local visual artists are often invited in to “As theater-makers, we want our stoexhibit work that relates to the cur- ries to resonate and get inside the rent production on the back wall of audience,” says Mallette. “We will get the theater. Bands regularly squat on it done with a smile, no matter what.” whatever set is up to play gigs.

Her smile delivers—and that sense of good will should bring people back to A working mother of two young hear more. daughters, aged 7 and 11, Mallette

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“Slightly provocative and a little outside their comfort zone.�

Lisa Mallette

City Lights Theater Company | cltc.org | facebook: citylightstheater | Spamalot runs July 24 - August 31, 2014

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barbara kAmm /Profile

Not Your Average Banker Written by Sarah Baylis Photography by Daniel Garcia

Silicon Valley is full of unique people with remarkable stories. But even so, how often do you get to meet the daughter of a lobster tail exporter, born in Cape Town, South Africa, and raised in Lima, Peru? Or someone who has a treadmill at their stand up desk? That is just part of the story of Barbara Kamm, President & CEO of Technology Credit Union.

Kamm graduated from Stanford with a communications degree and went to work on the action line of the San Jose Mercury News. She worked as a copyeditor and still uses her “old school” skills today—like double spacing after a period. After realizing journalism wasn’t her thing, Kamm began working at a wholesale travel agency, planning group tours to destinations such as San Francisco, Las Vegas, and Hawaii. She was living a comfortable life in her third floor San Francisco walk up, with views of the Golden Gate and Bay Bridge. Her career path, however, changed drastically after she embarked on a road trip to Panama in her Volkswagen with her sister.

Despite some incidents with jaguar hunters en route through Belize, the trip was a rejuvenating experience for Kamm, and it provided her with some clarity on what she wanted to do next in life. She decided to go back to school at Thunderbird School of Global Management in Glendale, Arizona. It was there that Kamm discovered her love of numbers and realized she was ready to enter the arena of commercial banking.

Kamm was offered a job at the United California Bank, where she was introduced to the world of banking and its community. She loved the excitement

of working at multiple banks—like First Interstate Bank in Los Angeles; Marine National Bank, a de novo bank in Irvine; the the Orange County office of National Bank of Long Beach, which she opened and managed; and many others—all the while rising up the corporate ladder.

Kamm eventually retired from corporate life to spend more time with her family, but it wasn’t long before she missed working as a banker. Despite her efforts to stay busy—she taught business classes at Santa Clara University and banking classes at San Jose State University; and became a trip planner for the Sierra Club, where she coordinated hikes to Peru and Spain—she was drawn back to banking. She was offered a job at Tech CU in 2009 and that’s when it all really came together.

“I could combine numbers with the need to go out into the community and understand what [people] need to sustain their business,” Kamm says about her work.

Her favorite part about being the CEO of Tech CU is that she can effect change. She loves seeing the culture at Tech CU evolve, observing her staff develop and grow, and “watching us get things done,” she says. Kamm has no doubt proved herself as one of Silicon Valley’s stars.

kids don’t need” and leads them to “degree(s) that may or may not get them to their dream,” she says.

She is a firm believer in technical training. “What we don’t have enough of in this country is technicians of all kinds whether it is plumbers, electricians, carpenters, or respiratory therapists,” Kamm says. “We have pushed everyone to these liberal arts colleges where they major in Spanish or Sociology.” Don’t get her wrong: Kamm thinks that liberal arts are great. “But they don’t always feed you and it costs a lot to get that liberal arts degree,” she says.

Because she feels so strongly about these issues, Kamm has been an active supporter of initiatives at local community colleges, such as De Anza and Foothill, to develop a fouryear degree program. As a member of the Business and Industry Advisory Council, this has become a passionate cause. “Why should a respiratory therapist have to leave the state of California to get their four-year degree when we can offer it right here?”

Kamm may not be what one may think of as a person in the financial services industry. “People don’t know all the good that banks [do],” she says. “Bankers do go spend a lot of time out in the community doing things like serving on boards of nonprofits, funding nonprofits, and fundOne public issue very dear to Kamm’s ing projects,” she says. heart is the question of higher education in America. While she “strongly “[I’m] here to serve members of our believe(s) that the community college community and that’s what we try to model serves so many people so very be a part of.” well,” she is concerned that pushing students to four-year universities is a mistake. She feels this lands students in a position of debt that is a “pressure

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Barbara Kamm

techcu.com | @techcu

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Studio Current/Profile

Building a Great City Written by Isara Krieger Photography by Greg Cortez

From agricultural valley to technology hub of the world, San Jose is evolving.

Jeff Current has spent the past 28 years helping to develop the city’s historical buildings, transit sites, and medical centers. He understands urban design and he understands this city. He finally has his own firm and he’s not slowing down until San Jose’s residents have arrived at a quality of life that’s as world-class as its technology.

In the heart of Silicon Valley, the impossible is achieved daily. Google is perfecting its driverless car and solar-powered jet. Apple is calling its next campus a ‘Spaceship’ while Facebook has hired world-class architect Frank Gehry to design theirs.

The new 49ers stadium will function with 85% recycled water and have a 27,000-square-foot rooftop garden.

Technology is advancing rapidly and Jeff Current, recent founder of Studio Current, hopes his new firm will help translate this momentum to San Jose’s own architecture and design.

Born in Long Beach and educated in architecture at USC, Current eventually found himself dating the daughter of one of the most successful developers in Northern California. Things worked out for Current. After moving to San Jose, he married Tamara Swenson and worked for Barry Swenson Builder (BSB) for 28 years, spending much of that time as the firm’s Director of Architecture.

After years of helping to improve historical buildings, transit sites, and medical centers, Current acquired a unique understanding of San Jose and was ready to use his knowledge in a slightly different way. He wanted to focus on livability for city residents.

He wanted to get personal with design.

When the youngest of Current’s two children went off to college he used his newfound free time to become more involved with local chapters of organizations that share his vision for the future of San Jose, such as the 32

American Institute of Architects (AIA) and San Francisco Planning and Urban Research (SPUR).

He was inspired by SPUR’s “Getting to Great Places” initiative, which discusses how better urban design can strengthen San Jose’s future. “I was on the Urban Design Task Force that put together the report,” says Current.

It’s about how to strengthen this city from the agricultural town it was back in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s to a city that’s capable of taking advantage of the technological advances surrounding it.

“For whatever reason it felt like the stars were beginning to align, and all of a sudden people were starting to care about planning and smart growth design; things that really didn’t matter ten to fifteen years ago. Now there’s a huge focus on the Downtown, which is a patchwork of really quality things and empty lots and older, dysfunctional things. I think some of those gaps are beginning to be filled in.”

Jeff Current

Adam Mayberry

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Inspired by this momentum from other planning organizations, Current branched out on his own to create Studio Current. “It was time for me to get out of a developers office and start working for a design firm. Studio Current was born out of this notion of doing something a little bit more focused on urban design and the downtown environment. That’s [our] vision, to keep building these ‘great places,’ you know, for people.”

Adam Mayberry, Senior Designer for Studio Current, is about ten years into his architecture career and has played a major role in getting Studio Current running.

With experience working at architectural firms in San Francisco and San Diego, Mayberry explains, “San Diego and San Francisco are big architecture communities. I never thought of San Jose in that market; but here I’m growing my career as the city grows.”

He worked with Current at Barry Swenson Builder for three years prior to venturing off to begin the independent firm.

Mayberry explains, “We saw potential for a new architectural studio centered around the Downtown to focus on these projects coming up there in the next few years. [Downtown] has already changed a lot in the last three or four years and it’s only just starting.

Having a firm mainly focuses on that is part of the boots-on-the-ground mentality where Studio Current is placing itself.”

Maintaining a close relationship with BSB provided a unique key to success for starting a brand new firm. “It’s less risky going out on your own while knowing where the work is. Having the working relationship with BSB as a client definitely helped the situation,” says Mayberry. “We knew we had sustainable work for a period of time.” With Studio Current, Mayberry and Current were able to continue projects for BSB while tailoring them more slightly to their own goals.

“Stepping into something where there’s nothing in place is definitely something different,” says Mayberry.

“We didn’t have desks, we didn’t have computers, we didn’t have a work floor down. We’re still figuring it all out. That’s where the startup mentality comes from, you know, we’re busy; we’re trying to get a website up. Usually firms start with one person doing small projects and then gaining more while growing person by person. In our case we were like, ‘Okay, we’re going to start a new firm and we have four projects going on.’

Starting a company from scratch is a unique opportunity.”

Now on their feet, Current and Mayberry focus on the future. Current sees promise in the fact that BART will soon reach down to San Jose, connecting it to San Francisco and other major Bay Area regions. “Things that are supposed to be happening in terms of smart growth are actually starting to happen,” says Current of the development firms who are finally competing with plans for the soon-tobe BART transit stops. The last main component of SC’s vision for the next 20-30 years includes bringing more jobs to San Jose in order to transform it from the “bedroom community” it is now.

One of the challenges of good design in any city is to commemorate all that’s existed in the past while being conscious of the present and progressive towards the future. “You’ve got to sell your [ideas] to people who have lived in the same place for fifty years and have seen the place [in this case] transform from a bunch of fruit canneries.” You’ve also got to find a way to invite new, young residents with future-forward ideas. “A big part of [architecture] is connecting.

Connecting neighborhood to neighborhood; connecting new generations to old.”

San Jose’s San Pedro Square Market illustrates this connection. “Great cities should have a great urban marketplace,” explains Current, “like San Francisco’s Ferry Building and Boston’s Faneuil Hall. San Pedro Square Market is intended to bring back the agricultural roots of our valley, while currently serving a wireless community where all kinds of techie office people come and meet at B2 coffee, and there are people sitting down morning, noon, and night with their laptops open. It’s become this collaborative, Silicon Valley environment.”

Current is excited by all the possibilities created by tech in the area and what they means for architectural development of San Jose. “The technology is inspiring the design. It’s exciting.”

Current believes that in the near future, “when all the right components are in place to make San Jose a walkable, livable city,” it can become a place where members of the next generation—including his college- “You kind of get on a roll with [new age daughter—could see themselves developments] and it’s like wow, what living. isn’t possible? If we can fly with solar power and run our houses with solar San Jose’s location in the heart of power and turn our ocean water into Silicon Valley has a big influence on drinking water, why can’t we build the way design is approached in the better cities?” area. “When high-tech started, these companies were in garages, then they If that’s the way you think, Mr. Current, moved to concrete buildings where then you’re just the man for the job. they only cared about the intellectual property they were creating. What we learn as these companies grow up is that they care more about design and figuring out new ways to set up the workplace. They understand that, for the benefit of their product, their workplace has to work.”

studiocurrent.com | info@studiocurrent.com | pinterest: studiocurrent | instagram: studiocurrent

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Leland Wilcox/Profile

The Downtown Influencer for the City of San Jose Written by Mark Haney Photography by Daniel Garcia

Leland Wilcox works in San Jose City Hall as an Assistant to the City Manager, Ed Shikada. For the past five years, he has been the Downtown Manager within the Office of Economic Development. After working at the state capitol for a couple years, Wilcox returned to San Jose by way of running an election.

Prior to his work with San Jose City Hall, he was the Chief of Staff for Nancy Pile in District 10 for almost four years.

cranes are in the sky, with hopefully more on the way. We’re in a better position now to dictate the aesthetic and urban design elements that we really want, especially knowing how important they are. It’s been excellent having the San Jose Downtown Association take a step forward in advocating for better design, having SPUR here lending their voice and With the urban villages, Downtown is expertise to the conversation, while much more than Downtown, it’s the working with developers early on, so hub of central San Jose. The more we they don’t run into delays. can tie in Downtown with the urban villages, the more it will make it easier Does the city have a clear and comprehenfor people to get around—whether sive plan for downtown? After the redeit’s shopping, going to their jobs, or velopment agency went away three just being with their families. It will be or four years ago, we had a meetinteresting to see how that evolves ing of the minds, so to speak, for Downtown, with the SJDA, the ecoover the next 20 or 30 years. nomic development director, the city Speak to the balance of building new proj- manager, and a lot of other Downtown ects versus good design. In the past, we stakeholders. We decided in the spirit put design by the wayside. Now we of tactical urbanism to just start doing are seeing the results, in the aesthet- some stuff. ics and problem spots in ground floor activation. But Downtown commer- are we a business district versus an entercial vacancy rates have gone down tainment district versus a social district?

18% in the last two years, and two I think it’s good that we don’t know what Downtown is and I hope it What does city planning mean to you? I think of city planning as not just taking the general plan and focusing it around urban villages, but also tying in how it is managed and how it is operated. Thinking about how things are financed and how things look aesthetically. Downtown is the pilot area or testing bed for a lot of that.

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continues to evolve. We’ve changed the entertainment ordinance, and that spurred a bunch of new live music.

We started working with everyone, including the government—but most of it was the business owners. I think a lot of the successes people are talking about over the last six or seven months are because of that.

What has been the driving force behind the influx of activity within downtown over the last few years? There were a lot of good things in place with the Downtown strategy. We did a lot of work in 2009 with the arts, live music, and special event communities. We asked, “If you were to do things in Downtown, what would make it easier?” We got a list of a dozen or so things that we were able to implement. So a bit of activity came from policy changes on our side, but the great thing about Downtown is that people love it.

Is your philosophy “build it and they will come,” or “fix what we have and they will come”? In working with a lot of the businesses, a routine problem

Leland Wilcox

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is, “How do we get the folks from Almaden, Cambrian, and Willow Glen Downtown?” A good portion of that conversation started in 2009 when Downtown was having struggles, but Downtown was suffering from a vacancy rate of 30% at that time. As the conversation continues now, some want to start marketing Downtown right away, start talking about all the activities in Downtown.

But if we bring someone down and it’s not a good experience, it’s hard to get that back. So there was a strategy of “let’s work with what we have and sooner or later we’ll have the things we need to start talking more openly about it.”

Sure enough, the San Pedro Square Market opens, a bunch of new live music venues open, commercial vacancy starts going down, and there’s more people down here with new things opening up. We’re at a point now where we are putting a lot of emphasis on marketing to CEO’s, CFO’s, and companies about the business offerings Downtown has so we can bring more businesses in and more people can experience it. Once they experience it, they enjoy it.

What single project in the last decade has changed the urban appeal of downtown the most? The San Pedro Square Market.

I use my sister as a barometer of what’s cool and hip. She’s 30, single, living in SF, but teaches down here and makes that commute every day, because she wants more of an urban lifestyle. Last summer, she texted me, “Have you heard about this San Pedro Square Market? All my friends are coming down from the city and we’re going to go there again next week.” At that point I thought okay, something pretty cool is starting to happen.

When we were courting Apigee to move down here, they said, “Our employees are really sick of the four or five offerings to go to eat at on the peninsula. They want a variety of things to do and eat during lunch or after work.” You have professionals that want to be down here, and they just needed a place to do it.

Are biking, access to public transportation, and walkability becoming more important to companies downtown? Yes. The last few companies that located down here wanted to know how far they were within feet of Diridon Station, the DASH shuttle, or a Bikeshare, and a lot of them have asked for future maps where the green bike lanes are going in. I do think some of the Downtown companies have pretty ambitious goals for alternative transportation, and we’re definitely seeing the effects along the CalTrain corridor.

catalyze private investment, so whatever we can do we’ll do as long as it conforms to zoning and the general plan.

One of the biggest issues that people have with downtown is that there isn’t a strong retail component. What can be done to create a retail or shopping district with Santana Row and Valley Fair so close?

It is hard to compete with that, but we can do three things. We need to find a way to support all the people that have come down here and have taken the opportunity and the risk, and make them successful. Second, we need to take further steps to make it easier for pop-up retail. Whether around the holidays, or by working with some of our building owners with vacant space, taking a risk on pop-up retail is important.

How will the next five years change the landscape of downtown? A lot of people that have worked in Downtown for 20-30 years have always talked about Downtown being almost cool, almost there, it’s right around the corner. It’s a bit of a bold prediction, but I think in the next five years people will stop having that conversation because we will be cool, we’ll have finally turned the corner.

The city needs to make permitting easier and expedite the process, which we will hopefully be doing towards the end of summer. Third, more highrises for housing. Retailers simply look at it from a demographics study. Santana Row and Valley Fair skew those numbers for us a bit, but we’ve been racing towards creating 10,000 housing units in the Downtown to make a better case.

The faster we can get highrises built and people in them, the easier it makes it for retailers.

How much influence does the Office of Economic Development have on getting developers to build downtown? As things start to pencil out for developers, they’ll come in and ask, “What do you guys think about this?” Here’s what will be important to us: the urban design elements, how does it activate the street, how dense is it, how high up are you going to go, commercial, residential? Part of our job is to

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What do you think the next major project is that will spur another round of growth in downtown? One of the next things for Downtown that a lot of people are talking about is the untapped potential of St. James Park. I think as development starts to go up around the park, that will really change the outlook of Downtown.

I know when I first had this job I always felt we were pushing a car uphill trying to make things happen, and I think we’ve just gone over the ledge and we’ve got a lot of momentum. Luckily we have a lot of people with the city, and private companies that are passionate about Downtown so if this economic window continues for a little bit longer, I feel we’ll find a way to take advantage of it and come out close to the goal line.

“I think it’s good that we don’t know what Downtown is and I hope it continues to evolve.”

sanjoseca.gov

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Paper Plane/Place

Raising the Bar on South First Street Written by Jonathan Keshishoglou Photography by Chris Lovos

Occupying two neighboring spaces in what many call the “Bar-muda Triangle” of Downtown San Jose, craft beer bar Original Gravity and craft cocktail bar Paper Plane hold a sort of symmetry with each other.

Despite having different atmospheres and different menus, Original Gravity and Paper Plane were both started by the same group of people who share a vision of a bar with highquality alcohol and low amounts of pretension. Dan Phan and Johnny Wang are the owners of both bars, while Rob Monroe runs Original Gravity and George Lahlouh runs Paper Plane.

Original Gravity, or OG for short, is the older of the two, having celebrated its two-year anniversary in July. Its origins lie in the moment that Phan (a chemist) and Wang (who worked in corporate finance) both came to the realization that they hated their current jobs, but shared a love of craft beer. Deciding that it made no sense

to continue doing something they no longer enjoyed, Phan and Wang joined up with Monroe, and OG opened their doors at Kraftbrew Festival 2012 to the delight of many avid beer-drinkers who had never seen a craft beer bar in San Jose before then.

in different ways. Most noticeably, OG is much more compact that Paper Plane, which is quite spacious; it was originally even more so, before the wall of Paper Plane was moved to give neighboring OG more space.

“This one is too big to survive, and this one is too small, we need to Paper Plane is much younger, having balance out the equation,” Lahlouh opened in early 2014 after Phan and remembers thinking.

Wang met Lahlouh at a spirit-tasting event in San Francisco. Lahlouh, then OG specializes in craft beer, although working at another bar in San Jose, their duck-fat French fries have also often came by OG for fun and would gained something of a cult following. occasionally become an unofficial Paper Plane offers a number of bartender there (he fondly remembers signature cocktails made in different being told to “get out from behind the styles, while also experimenting with bar”). After becoming friends, they barrel aged cocktails and punches. started talking about opening another Both establishments rotate drinks business. frequently to keep things fresh.

“Everyone always says, ‘let’s go into business together’ when they start having drinks, but they weren’t joking,” Lahlouh says. About a year later, they formed a business plan and Paper Plane came shortly afterward.

The two bars complement each other 40

For those who have trouble deciding what to get, Paper Plane features a “Cartesian Plane” on their menu so people can order based on their mood; it features a grid with a “Refreshing vs. Bold” axis and a “Familiar vs. Adventurous” axis, with

Paper Plane

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each cocktail plotted somewhere on the grid. While at OG, Monroe recommends that people check their website to see what beers will be available that day, and the the staff will always be there to help with any questions.

What they have in common, however, besides shared ownership, is their dedication to quality service without being pretentious. Too many bars, they feel, especially in major cities, have a habit of belittling or challenging customers who come in with questions. The team wants to ensure that if a customer comes in not knowing what “aquavit” is, or not liking their house cucumber soda (both of which are ingredients in Paper Plane’s Spice of Life cocktail), they’ll be talking to a bartender who will work with them instead of being judgmental.

is communal,” Monroe explains of himself and his Cicerone-certified bartenders. “That’s indicative of why we’ve been successful so far, because our staff is so knowledgeable but they’re always going to have a smile and get you your beer and you’re gonna learn something about it.”

Anytime someone uses the word “craft,” it is indicative of passion, and the passion for beers and cocktails is what drives the OG/Paper Plane team. Lahlouh and Monroe have seen bars that lack that passion, and they firmly believe that consumers can see through the smoke and mirrors. “Whether its people making or producing this product versus the people who are consuming it, both sides should, and probably will be, equally as passionate,” says Monroe.

What makes OG and Paper Plane “We all love and have invested unique to other bars is the combination interest in beer, but at the same time, of serious technical knowledge and we all want to have fun because beer welcoming upbeat atmosphere.

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Lahlouh explains the concept behind his bar’s name, saying that “you can be very technical in your design, but always important not to take it too seriously, just like a paper plane.” The team behind both bars always try to stay true to that.

Rob Monroe

George Lahlouh

PaperPlaneSJ.com | 72 S. First St. OriginalGravityPub.com | 66 S. First St.

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No Water after Midnight/Music Written by Victoria Felicity Photography by Ajay Fay

Having performed together for over a decade, distinctive South Bay entertainers Lionel Briones, James “Black Suede” Cobb, Lonnye Dotson, and Mid One take a moment to talk about their new collaboration: No Water After Midnight. The band’s contagious energy, powerhouse sound, and eclectic style create a musical experience that is unforgettable.

You all have been working together making music for years, and are now taking on this new group—No Water After Midnight. What are you trying to create through this for your fans to experience?

Mid One: I think that there is a lot of crossover of what we were doing.

But I think that the vibe has become a lot smoother. We understand each other better as people and musically.

When you are speaking about art in general, there is a fluidity and comfort we now have as a band where we are taking chances where we may not have before. Lionel: We are becoming less of a jam band. We have an

opportunity to reinvent ourselves.

Ed: Well, we are a jam band, We do a lot of cover music, like with our other projects. But we have developed a signature sound and with No Water After Midnight, we are looking to delve into that sound and create something out of nowhere.

What is the vision for the band?

the guys and they all responded very positively to it. The rule is actually “no food after midnight,” but that inspired the name. We were all going through some changes. Ed: The name felt symbolic. Like a moment to reset, everyday is a new day and a new day comes after midnight.

How has the musical collaboration come together as you are working through this Mid One: We were brainstorming for new creative process? a while about what we wanted. It was beautiful because it was the first Lonnye: We all have things that we time we really started bumping heads really want to express, but we haven’t for the good of the band. We are all developed a formula that we have accountable for the success.Lionel: worked out, just yet. Mid One: There We were trying to collaborate on a will be moments when we are at a name. Most of us were born in the rehearsal and we are just messing 80s and trying to find things that we around with something and it turns can all relate to. I was looking through into something amazing. Even in our different media for inspiration and live shows—and it really shows how I was on Facebook and stumbled in sync we have become. We actuover the character from Gremlins, ally should have chosen the name and Mogwai, which is already taken. *Nsync, but it was already taken.

But then I was thinking about the rule they had and I thought it was “no water after midnight.” I texted it to

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“San Jose is like the land of a whole bunch of talented people that no one knows about.�

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b

a c

d f

e

a) Mid One-vocals b) James “Blacksuede” Cobb-drums c) No Water After Midnight d) Lonnye Dotson-vocals e) Ed Pasalo-bass/keys f) Lionel Briones-sax/synth

What challenges have you encountered want people to walk away thinking, ‘Damn, they did my favorite song but with taking on this new project? that was a totally different way of seeLionel: Well, everyone has a day job ing it.’ Mid One: I honestly think it’s now. We do gigs on a regular basis, like a language in many senses; we but it makes things challenging to hear something and then translate get together to do rehearsals for new it in our own language. We express stuff and to create. We don’t have the ourselves collectively. Lonnye: I want same amount of time we had. James: people to hear our music and see us I think the biggest challenge has been as true artists. I feel like we share that finding balance. We all have had to same passion. I think we bring it out sacrifice a little bit more, which is hard of each other. to do, but it is what we have to do to make it to the next level. Ed: We are What’s it like being a musician in San Jose? all pushing 30, and there is always a sense of urgency. We are all at that Mid One: I am from Fairfield. For me I point in our lives where there has to found my musical passion here. I felt like it was a new beginning for me. I be. didn’t have any expectations to live up What do you hope that your audience takes to. Lonnye: I came to San Jose later, but coming into this with these guys away from your music? who have their families and friends James: For myself, I want to feel here has made me kinda jealous. All the same way I feel when I hear an these guys have so much support album—or better. We play a lot of of their family and friends. It’s been covers, but we play them our way. I good. Ed: I grew up the hip-hop head

in Milpitas. I am that kid that sees everything that is going on, taking it all in and incorporating it into what I do.

James: I am from San Jose and it has been great because San Jose is like the land of a whole bunch of talented people that no one knows about. It’s awesome to be surrounded by those people. Lionel: The live music scene in San Jose is changing and it has been cool to be apart of that growing music scene in the South Bay. What is your desert island disc?

MidOne: Michael Jackson’s Thriller Lionel: Stevie Wonder, Innervisions Lonnye: Wu Tang, Wu Tang Forever Ed: Miles Davis, Bitches Brew James: Mint Condition, From the Mint Factory

nowateraftermidnight.com | nowateraftermidnight@gmail.com

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culture theft/Music

Starting New Written by Victoria Felicity Photography by Victoria Felicity Hair and Make-Up by Jennifer Maciel

Passionate about engaging their audience, Culture Theft members Chris Pounders, Stephanie Rue O’Neill, and Thomas Tissot mix analog and digital sounds to create an experience that their fans won’t forget. With their catchy dance rhythms mixed with thought provoking lyrics, listeners can’t help but get caught up in the band’s music.

How did Culture Theft form?

Chris: Thomas and I worked together, at Great America. I was auditioning for X Factor and I got an email from Thomas, and he had contacted me about doing some vocals over a track he had created. I was really excited about the project. At the time I was living in LA, making my move back to the Bay Area. Thomas and I recorded an EP and then eventually we ran into Stephanie. Stephanie: They found me on Facebook. Chris: Instagram, actually. It is actually a little bit of a creepy story. Thomas: She was doing cool cover videos...they were cool enough that both Chris and I were like ‘Holy crap… this is good!’ We ended up contacting her through a post. Stephanie: Yeah, and I ended up heading over to Guitar Center—I said ‘Hi, I’m Stephanie.” and that is how I met everyone. Chris: We added Stephanie on “Drift Away.” That was the first song her vocals were on. We wanted to incorporate our music with her sound. So, we are starting new.

What are you trying to develop?

Stephanie: We are trying to find our right sound. When they found me initially, Chris and Thomas already had these songs created, but I didn’t have any part in creating them. We are trying to mix what we had in the past and what we are creating now and melding them. Thomas: In the past, we worked separately a lot. I would write things and Chris would, and we would do this postal service thing, sending things back and forth. But now what we are doing is taking the time to sit down as a group with instruments and work on things. Chris: One of the things we have realized is that just being an electronic band, we are trying to infuse things that are more original and new. Thomas: We don’t want to limit ourselves. We are open to being more creative; not boxing ourselves into something specific.

got us to slow down and remember what that was all like again. Thomas: I totally forgot...I haven’t been in a “band” in forever, so we had to all figure it out again. Chris: There were adjustments and struggles from all of us, but we all wanted the same thing so we are working it out.

What is Culture Theft trying to create through your music?

Chris: Well, music has to change in the Bay Area. It has to not just be people coming together to work on projects but people coming together to create good music. Memorable songs, creating songs where people want to go out and listen to their favorite music. That is what we are trying to create. Stephanie: I just want to inspire people to feel something great. Thomas: That’s how I feel, too.

Chris: We have this new song called “Never Let Go” and I feel like it’s going Stephanie, what has it been like coming into to be really good for the band. It’s about hanging out with friends, but it the band as an outsider? also touches on a little bit of the realStephanie: It was actually a really big ity of life and how we live through the struggle at first, because I felt like I good and bad. was not a contributor, but then we wrote this awesome song and that Last question: What is your desert island really made me feel like a part of the disc? group. I am really grateful for everything. Chris: I think there was a big Stephanie: Rumors, Fleetwood Mac challenge for me and Thomas, bring- Chris: Abbey Road. Wait—yes, Abbey ing someone new in. It almost seemed Road. Thomas: I would bring The like we forgot what it was like to be in Nutcracker. a band for the first time, but we were all business. Bringing Stephanie on

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“Music has to change in the Bay Area” Chris Pounders

Thomas Tissot

Stephanie Rue O’Neill

CultureTheft.com | @CultureTheft

49

Chris Pounders

The Dinner Detective/Show

Solving Appetites Written by Justin San Diego

Upon entering the doors marked with yellow caution tape, you know you’re about to experience a dinner like never before. That’s because you’re at The Dinner Detective, a bi-weekly murder mystery show and dinner that takes place at the Downtown Hilton Hotel.

actors who blend in with the rest of the audience. There are several different scripts that the actors and producers use, allowing returning guests to experience something new.

Unlike other murder mystery shows, The Dinner Detective does not use costumes, decorations or set pieces. “It feels like you are a part of it instead of just watching a show, and that is what people like about it,” says Marshall. He has been a Dinner Detective actor for four years.

This is the third year that The Dinner Detective has been in San Jose. The Dinner Detective company began in Los Angeles in November 2004, nearly ten years ago. The company has 28 locations across the US, with 10 of them in California.

With each course served, the murder story is revealed more and more.

Katherine and Marshall Givens, exec- Before the salad is brought out, the utive producers of the show, are orig- initial murder takes place and the inally from Los Angeles. They also act detective makes his introduction. in the San Jose shows.

More clues are revealed to the audience before the entree is served, and For each performance, two actors again before dessert. play the roles of murder victims, while another plays a random suspect. Overall the show only uses four thedinnerdetective.com

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Before entering the dining room, each person is asked to write an alias name on their name tag. This gives audience members the chance to not be themselves and pursue a mysterious persona for the dinner game.

These name tags come in handy throughout the show, when a few people get picked on by the Detective and are asked questions.

Seeing people uncomfortably put on the spot evokes playful laughter from the rest of the audience.

As if helping the detective solve the murder wasn’t enough of a treat, every member of the audience gets a t-shirt to take home.

Contributors The production of Content Magazine would not be possible without the talented writers, editors, graphic artists, and photographers who contribute to each issue. We thank you and are proud to provide a publication to display your work. We are also thankful for the sponsors and readers who have supported this magazine through advertisements and subscriptions.

AJAY FAY Ajay is a recent transplant from beautiful Los Angeles, and is now living in the Silicon Valley. He is a rare breed with an actual Degree in Photography. His work infuses sophisticated lighting and precision editing.

He dreams of turning into a bird and flying away. ajayfayphotography.com

MELANIE RICCARDI Melanie is a freelance photographer specializing in editorial and product photography. Her background in visual merchandising at Apple, and involvement in the fashion and entertainment industries has help to craft and shape her photographic style melaniericcardi.com

SARAH BAYLIS Sarah was born and raised in the Bay Area.

She is going into her final year at Dickinson College and will be graduating next Spring with a BA in English. She contributes to an alternative magazine at her school and studied abroad in Istanbul last Fall. Sarah hopes to continue her path in Japan next year teaching English.

DANIEL GAINES Daniel was born and raised in Richmond, VA. After studying marketing and art at James Madison University, Daniel followed a career in hospitality and property management, until 2009 when he picked up a camera and began shooting. Currently, he resides in San Jose and makes his living as a lifestyle and commercial photographer. danielgainesphotography.com

ISARA KRIEGER Isara is a freelance writer and photographer.

Her passion for people, culture, and city life fuels her work. Her restaurant blog, alonewithacupcake.com, covers San Francisco, Boston, and other cities that find themselves in her path.

JUSTIN SAN DIEGO Justin is a 23-year-old journalism student who will start attending SJSU this fall. He is passionate about music, reality shows, LGBT issues, and his hometown San Jose. Justin will visit Las Vegas during August and experience Britney Spears’ residency concert.

KRISTEN PFUND Kristen is a producer and creative consultant in the Bay Area, with a split interest in the art of film and photography. As an avid international traveler, she’s compelled to tell cultural, visual stories that are both thought-provoking and empowering people to action.

ANNA BAGIROV Anna is a Bay Area-based social media and marketing professional by day. At heart she is writer, storyteller, and comic. Her passions are the written word, music, and the beach.

In her spare time she watches documentaries, drives Highway 1, and searches local farmer’s markets for that perfect heirloom tomato.

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Contact us at: editor@content-magazine.com

Picks by Leah Toeniskoetter

A

B

c

d

e

f

g

h

i

With a city as big as San Jose, even the most savvy insiders need a local’s advice every now and then.

Local

A. SPUR

F. Bike infrastructure

Leah Toeniskoetter

From urban agriculture to transit to what makes San Jose tick, SPUR San Jose’s programs are geared to educate anyone looking to learn about what’s going on in our city and region and become engaged in the future of their city.

spur.org

San Jose’s 300 days of sunshine and relatively flat, 180 square-mile geography make it ideal for bike riding. The City’s Bike Plan has moved from paper to pavement, with a growing number of bike lanes, trails, and cohesive routes. Jump on a Bay Area Bike Share ride and check it out.

b. Diridon Station

G. San Pedro Square Market

We have a handful of historical train stations in the region, but only one that has the number of regional lines coming through it like Diridon Station. The build-out of this station and its integration with the rest of downtown is an incredible game changing opportunity for San Jose.

caltrain.com

Downtown’s ‘there there’ place where you’ll always find a buzz of energy. From B2 Coffee to The Usuals concept store, this pocket of place-based urbanism has created a market around it, leading to new residential towers and new businesses opening in close proximity.

sanpedrosquaremarket.com

c. berryessa Flea Market

H. Our festivals

Millions of annual visitors, thousands of vendors, a quarter-mile long row of fresh produce, a day market, and a summer night market. This gem of San Jose is best experienced on Saturday or Sunday for anything and everyone, and during the week for anything else you may need. .. ...................................................sjfm.com

Our festivals put a spotlight on our diversity.

Too many to name, but a few that shouldn’t be missed: San Jose Summer Jazz Fest, Obon Festival, VivaFest!, KraftBrew Fest, Tet Festival, Luna Park Chalk Art Festival, Dancin’ on the Avenue, and new ones all the time, like the Bacon Festival (where else is there a bacon festival?!) and C2SV.

d. Japantown

I. Naglee Park Garage

There are too many finds to list, but Japantown is continuing to show its unique flare. From Roy’s Station to the phenomenal wall murals surprising the pedestrian in all directions (thank you, Empire 7 Studios), this neighborhood is finding its groove. jtown.org

Once a derelict and crime-laden street corner, this now vibrant neighborhood hangout is the anchor to a retail center turned around by its neighbors who took it upon themselves to change an eyesore into the Cheers of their neighborhood.

nagleeparkgarage.com

e. Veggielution

J. Bike Party

Tucked underneath the massive highway infrastructure lies Garden of Eden. Emma Prusch Park holds this home-grown urban farm, which brings fresh food and hands-on experiences to visitors.

veggielution.org

It is all that is San Jose’s diversity rolling on two wheels throughout the city on the third Friday of every month. Fantastic way to experience San Jose’s creative culture. .... ... .sjbikeparty.org

Day Job As Director of SPUR San Jose, thinking about how the nation’s 10th largest (and growing) city can build into its potential for awesomeness is the highlight of each and every day. I get to engage with, learn from, and convene the best and the brightest urbanists to shape the policies that will move San Jose to be the most livable and dynamic city ever. spur.org

The Additive Jobs My remaining hours are spent on any number of fun endeavors, including: 1) Serving on the Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) Board of Directors, working towards preserving the amazing open spaces that make our region so desirable.

2) Building a stronger community with hundreds of comrades dedicated to the same goal as a member of the Rotary Club of San Jose and senior fellow of American Leadership Forum (ALF).

3) Supporting the cycling community as a member of TurningWheels for Kids and the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition.

twitter: Toeniskoetter SPUR_Urbanist

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