Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Friday, February 13, 2009
Ten Motels for a Budget-Friendly Wine Country tour in Northern California
Take a Wine Country Tour pre/post AMTC on a budget.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
San Francisco Walking Tours
San Francisco is one hour away from San Jose, CA. Before/after the Air Medical Transport Conference consider a walking tour!
http://www.sfcityguides.org/index.html
http://www.sfcityguides.org/index.html
San Jose bike festival kicks off Amgen Tour of California weekend
The VELOVE Winter Bicycle Festival is about to transform downtown Santa Rosa into a bicycle wonderland during Valentines Day weekend, February 14-15. Held in conjunction with the 2009 Amgen Tour of California, VELOVE is packed with events for everyone, including bike competitions, race viewing parties, non-profit fundraising events, a pro race team signing and plenty more. It is a joint production between Bike Monkey, the City of Santa Rosa, Mainstreet and West Coast GoldSprints. To learn more and register for events, visit http://www.velovefestival.com/ .
Saturday, February 14
Cyclocross Championship: 11am-5pm – Cyclists of all ages and levels are invited to compete in a friendly cyclocross competition featuring food, drinks and live music by the Hubbub Club Marching Band.
Prologue Watch Party: 5-7pm – Watch the 2009 Amgen Tour of California prologue on the bigscreen at the Sweet Spot Pub, the official afterparty for the cyclocross championship.
Party with Paul Sherwen: 6-9pm – Support Bicycles for Humanity-Santa Rosa by visiting the Cellars of Sonomo in Railroad Square for an evening of wine tasting, hors d'oeuvres and a live auction with legendary cyclist and infamous Tour de France commentator, Paul Sherwen. Proceeds will help send our first shipment of bicycles from Santa Rosa to healthcare workers in Namibia, Africa. Tickets available online at http://www.velovefestival.com/ only 100 spaces so don't wait!
Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition Celebration: 6:30pm – Watch the Tour of California prologue and party with the Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition at the Hunter Global Legacy Center. A suggested donation of $5-10 includes a night of music, New Belgium Brewing Fat Tire Amber Ale, wine, hors d'oeuvres, a scavenger hunt, indoor cycling contests, prizes, dancing and great people.
Sunday, February 15
West Coast Gold Sprints: 12pm-7pm – Local teams will face off in stationary bike races at the Historic Railroad Square as the Tour of California stage finish is shown in the beer garden. After 4pm, bike races open to riders of all abilities.
Team Rabobank at the Sonoma Bicycle Company: Shortly after the Stage 1 finish – Visit the Sonoma Bicycle Company at their new 4th street location immediately after the Tour of California finish to meet and greet the riders of Team Rabobank. Free valet bike parking is available.
Saturday, February 14
Cyclocross Championship: 11am-5pm – Cyclists of all ages and levels are invited to compete in a friendly cyclocross competition featuring food, drinks and live music by the Hubbub Club Marching Band.
Prologue Watch Party: 5-7pm – Watch the 2009 Amgen Tour of California prologue on the bigscreen at the Sweet Spot Pub, the official afterparty for the cyclocross championship.
Party with Paul Sherwen: 6-9pm – Support Bicycles for Humanity-Santa Rosa by visiting the Cellars of Sonomo in Railroad Square for an evening of wine tasting, hors d'oeuvres and a live auction with legendary cyclist and infamous Tour de France commentator, Paul Sherwen. Proceeds will help send our first shipment of bicycles from Santa Rosa to healthcare workers in Namibia, Africa. Tickets available online at http://www.velovefestival.com/ only 100 spaces so don't wait!
Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition Celebration: 6:30pm – Watch the Tour of California prologue and party with the Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition at the Hunter Global Legacy Center. A suggested donation of $5-10 includes a night of music, New Belgium Brewing Fat Tire Amber Ale, wine, hors d'oeuvres, a scavenger hunt, indoor cycling contests, prizes, dancing and great people.
Sunday, February 15
West Coast Gold Sprints: 12pm-7pm – Local teams will face off in stationary bike races at the Historic Railroad Square as the Tour of California stage finish is shown in the beer garden. After 4pm, bike races open to riders of all abilities.
Team Rabobank at the Sonoma Bicycle Company: Shortly after the Stage 1 finish – Visit the Sonoma Bicycle Company at their new 4th street location immediately after the Tour of California finish to meet and greet the riders of Team Rabobank. Free valet bike parking is available.
Diridon Station to Be Focus of Harvard Design Group
The City of San Jose has entered into an agreement with the Harvard University Graduate School of Design for an Urban Design Studio Project to begin identifying possibilities for the future of San Jose's Diridon Station and its adjacent surroundings.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29128414/from/ET/
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29128414/from/ET/
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Monday, February 9, 2009
San Jose, California
From its official designation as California's first capital in 1849 to today's informal title as the "Capital of Silicon Valley" San Jose has always played a starring role in the state's history.
Originally founded by Spanish pioneers back in 1777 as El Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe, two centuries later California's first civilian settelment has grown into America's 10th largest city and Northern California's biggest-surpassing even San Francisco, that "other city" just an hour to the north.
Passengers who happen to glance out the windo as they land at San Jose International Airport may notice that the city's growth has been more horizontal than vertical, as it lacks the usual big-city downtwon cluster of glittering steel skyscrapers. In fact a stroll downtown almost feels more suburban than urban. But don't let that deceive you; all the elements you'd expect from a big city are here: ethnic diversity, world-class performing arts and museums, cutting-edge art exhibits, national pro sports teams, a trhiving dining scene, pulsing nightlife, and, yes, headache-worthy rush-hour traffic.
Originally founded by Spanish pioneers back in 1777 as El Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe, two centuries later California's first civilian settelment has grown into America's 10th largest city and Northern California's biggest-surpassing even San Francisco, that "other city" just an hour to the north.
Passengers who happen to glance out the windo as they land at San Jose International Airport may notice that the city's growth has been more horizontal than vertical, as it lacks the usual big-city downtwon cluster of glittering steel skyscrapers. In fact a stroll downtown almost feels more suburban than urban. But don't let that deceive you; all the elements you'd expect from a big city are here: ethnic diversity, world-class performing arts and museums, cutting-edge art exhibits, national pro sports teams, a trhiving dining scene, pulsing nightlife, and, yes, headache-worthy rush-hour traffic.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Tour of California: Hincapie relegated to shadows amidst 2009 tour's drama
By Elliott Almond - San Jose Mercury News
Posted: 02/07/2009
Cycling's most loyal teammate understands why he won't generate much pre-race buzz at this year's Amgen Tour of California.
"I just haven't gone away, I haven't had any scandals and nobody hates me," George Hincapie says.
That's not the case for three of his friends who will bring more than enough drama to the nine-stage tour that starts Feb. 14 in Sacramento. With cycling icon Lance Armstrong joining Floyd Landis and Tyler Hamilton in a return to the scene, there's hardly room to focus on anyone else. The cancer-surviving Armstrong is the sport's biggest draw. Landis and Hamilton are returning after serving drug suspensions in highly publicized cases.
And the unassuming domestique who helped Armstrong win a record seven consecutive titles at the Tour de France?
Hincapie, 35, will probably blend into the background while the big names cast long and sometimes dark shadows. It has been that way most of his 16-year career, even as he "created history together" with Armstrong.
"George maybe gets overlooked in the press but he is definitely respected in the peloton for the work that he does," said Bobby Julich, a former pro rider who has known Hincapie since they were 12. "He doesn't have to be that guy who stands out. But he sacrifices for other guys."
Hincapie also has buffered himself from drug suspicions that have dogged some of cycling's marquee athletes by never publicly testing positive and parsing his words when scandals exploded among friends and former teammates.
"I am very loyal," said Hincapie, who will pedal in the Breakaway From Cancer charity ride Sunday in San Francisco. "That is part of the reason many teams want me."
Hincapie, who rides for Team Columbia High Road, is one of Armstrong's closest friends and he has firmly defended the champion against drug suspicions that have never been proven. He also is close with Landis and Hamilton, and like many who followed their cases still isn't sure what to make of it.
"I don't know if they got caught or not," said Hincapie, a New Yorker who has settled in Greenville, S.C. "Somebody was right and somebody was wrong. I don't know who to believe. They definitely went through a hard period. They had two years taken away from their lives. I'm happy they are back."
But in the end, their presence makes the 750-mile tour that stops in San Jose on Feb. 17 that much more challenging.
"Nobody can deny they are extremely talented cyclists," said Hincapie, who finished fourth in the initial tour in 2006. "I've heard Floyd is motivated."
So is Hincapie, who has been part of teams that won eight consecutive titles at the Tour de France, finished second at the famous one-day classic Paris-Roubaix and is a five-time Olympian.
With probably only two more years of racing ahead, Hincapie wants to win a second stage at the Tour de France, win the Tour of Flanders and finally finish first at Paris-Roubaix.
But a repeat of 2005 wouldn't be bad. The 6-foot-3, 165-pound cyclist scored the highest finish of any American at Paris-Roubaix second and also won a Tour de France mountain stage.
In the Pyrenees, Hincapie was part of a breakaway that gained 18 minutes on the main group of Tour riders.
"It was a chance of a lifetime," Hincapie recalled. "I just didn't want to screw it up. I tried to stay calm. If you get excited too early you could definitely blow up."
Hincapie won by seven seconds, the consummate teammate crossing the line first.
Posted: 02/07/2009
Cycling's most loyal teammate understands why he won't generate much pre-race buzz at this year's Amgen Tour of California.
"I just haven't gone away, I haven't had any scandals and nobody hates me," George Hincapie says.
That's not the case for three of his friends who will bring more than enough drama to the nine-stage tour that starts Feb. 14 in Sacramento. With cycling icon Lance Armstrong joining Floyd Landis and Tyler Hamilton in a return to the scene, there's hardly room to focus on anyone else. The cancer-surviving Armstrong is the sport's biggest draw. Landis and Hamilton are returning after serving drug suspensions in highly publicized cases.
And the unassuming domestique who helped Armstrong win a record seven consecutive titles at the Tour de France?
Hincapie, 35, will probably blend into the background while the big names cast long and sometimes dark shadows. It has been that way most of his 16-year career, even as he "created history together" with Armstrong.
"George maybe gets overlooked in the press but he is definitely respected in the peloton for the work that he does," said Bobby Julich, a former pro rider who has known Hincapie since they were 12. "He doesn't have to be that guy who stands out. But he sacrifices for other guys."
Hincapie also has buffered himself from drug suspicions that have dogged some of cycling's marquee athletes by never publicly testing positive and parsing his words when scandals exploded among friends and former teammates.
"I am very loyal," said Hincapie, who will pedal in the Breakaway From Cancer charity ride Sunday in San Francisco. "That is part of the reason many teams want me."
Hincapie, who rides for Team Columbia High Road, is one of Armstrong's closest friends and he has firmly defended the champion against drug suspicions that have never been proven. He also is close with Landis and Hamilton, and like many who followed their cases still isn't sure what to make of it.
"I don't know if they got caught or not," said Hincapie, a New Yorker who has settled in Greenville, S.C. "Somebody was right and somebody was wrong. I don't know who to believe. They definitely went through a hard period. They had two years taken away from their lives. I'm happy they are back."
But in the end, their presence makes the 750-mile tour that stops in San Jose on Feb. 17 that much more challenging.
"Nobody can deny they are extremely talented cyclists," said Hincapie, who finished fourth in the initial tour in 2006. "I've heard Floyd is motivated."
So is Hincapie, who has been part of teams that won eight consecutive titles at the Tour de France, finished second at the famous one-day classic Paris-Roubaix and is a five-time Olympian.
With probably only two more years of racing ahead, Hincapie wants to win a second stage at the Tour de France, win the Tour of Flanders and finally finish first at Paris-Roubaix.
But a repeat of 2005 wouldn't be bad. The 6-foot-3, 165-pound cyclist scored the highest finish of any American at Paris-Roubaix second and also won a Tour de France mountain stage.
In the Pyrenees, Hincapie was part of a breakaway that gained 18 minutes on the main group of Tour riders.
"It was a chance of a lifetime," Hincapie recalled. "I just didn't want to screw it up. I tried to stay calm. If you get excited too early you could definitely blow up."
Hincapie won by seven seconds, the consummate teammate crossing the line first.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
S.J. RESTAURANT JOINS TREND OF GOING UPSCALE
A twist on traditional Indian cuisine at Rangoli
By Aleta WatsonMercury News
The first promising sign when you walk through the front door of Rangoli at lunch is the tantalizing aromas of cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and ginger drifting on the air.
The second is the warm greeting from the host, who guides you to a table draped in white linen and invites you to explore a double row of gleaming chafing dishes crowned with silver domes.
It's clear from the start this is no ordinary Indian buffet.
Rangoli, tucked into a shopping center in the less-than-fashionable Cambrian Park district of San Jose, is part of a new generation of Indian restaurants. After years of catering primarily to expat engineers and culinary adventurers, local South Asian restaurateurs are going upscale.
They're dressing up their dining rooms, introducing wine lists or cocktails, and reaching out to a wider audience. The most sophisticated and expensive take a cosmopolitan approach, applying Indian flavors and cooking techniques to more typically Californian ingredients.
Rangoli is a neighborhood place that sticks closer to tradition than some of this new generation with a small menu focused on North Indian standards and a handful of intriguing variations, such as lobster samosas. The 90-seat dining room, decorated in pale pistachio and shades of violet with more imagination than money, is appealing.
The food is fresh and lively, prepared with care from excellent ingredients. Prices, although higher than those at many old-style Indian restaurants, are generally moderate. Servers are eager to please.
"We can adjust spices for you," the hostess offered as she seated us one evening. "If you want a curry, we can change around the meats. We play with our food."
At lunch, the restaurant bustles with high-tech workers from the nearby eBay, Qualcomm and Xilinx campuses, all making the rounds of the well-stocked buffet. When owner Sukhpal Singh and son Sonu Singh opened in July, in the space formerly occupied by Host India, they did not plan to serve a lunch buffet. But customers balked, and the buffet was born.
"With Indian food, it's really what everyone wants," says the younger Singh, noting that even ritzy Amber India in Santana Row offers a buffet at lunch.
From the crispy samosas filled with a spicy mix of warm potatoes and peas to the light and creamy rice pudding sprinkled with pistachios, the buffet dishes were consistently good at my lunch. One row of chafing dishes offered chicken and lamb options. The other presented vegetarian choices. The dishes, made in small batches, were replenished regularly.
Among the highlights were a saute of zucchini and multi-colored bell peppers with whole cloves of garlic and an exemplary chicken tikka masala, the chunks of tandoori-roasted chicken breast swimming in a zippy tomato sauce, spiked with fenugreek and softened with cream and ground cashews.
A basket of buttery hot naan, which arrived at the table soon after we returned from the buffet, is included in the $9.99 price. Tangy mango lassi ($4) is not.
Sukhpal Singh, who also owns Rangoli Sweets, an Indian bakery in Santa Clara, is the executive chef. The food reflects his roots in New Delhi, although the free-range lamb is from Australia.
Sonu Singh who runs the front of the house and assisted with the design, is also the sommelier. His list of nearly 60 wines ranges the world, with selections from California, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and India, most running less than $50. They include sancerre from the Loire Valley of France, gruner veltliner from Austria and tempranillo from Spain.
More than a dozen wines, available by the glass at $6 to $9, are served from a temperature-controlled Cruvinet system to preserve freshness.
At dinner, the menu shifts to small plates, classic entrees, creative fish dishes and a variety of lamb dishes. Business was slow when my companion and I arrived in midweek, but that did not diminish the enthusiasm of the staff, who greeted us warmly and took pains to ensure we enjoyed ourselves.
Rangoli's ambitions are apparent in its stylish design. Long, filmy curtains screen the view of the parking lot outside, and half walls pierced with the distinctive ogee arches of India divide the cavernous dining room. A sculpture of the elephant-headed Ganesh, the god of success, graces the reception desk alongside an impressionistic mural of the Hindu god Krishna and his beloved Rada. Sanskrit verses from the Bahagavad Gita decorate the walls, although Sonu Singh confesses he's not certain what they say. Fusion music featuring tabla and sitar plays in the background.
Among the starters, a pair of luscious trumpet mushrooms ($9) marinated in spices and roasted in the tandoor was most successful, their flesh as delicate as scallops. The trio of lobster samosas ($11), presented in a porcelain cup, were hot and flavorful, but it was difficult to find the lobster. Vivid mango, coriander-mint and tamarind chutneys, bright as jewels, came with them.
Entrees include a terrific baingan bhartha ($12), an incendiary blend of tomatoes, onions and eggplant, soft and smoky from the high-temperature tandoor. Even the paneer saag-wala ($12), a nicely textured puree of spinach with cubes of mild cheese, packs a lot of heat. As our waiter warned when we told him we liked spicy food, "It's Indian hot. You probably want regular heat - medium."
Ahi tuna ($20), roasted in the tandoor, was tender and moist with an unusual velvety texture. Fragrant coconut milk tempered the slowly unfolding heat of fork-tender lamb madras ($17), served in a copper bowl.
There are few choices for dessert, even though the elder Singh specializes in sweets at his Santa Clara shop. Still, it's hard to beat the gulab jamun ($5). The golden fried balls of milk dough batter are served hot in a light syrup with just a whisper of rose water and saffron to add interest.
The classics get the attention they deserve at Rangoli.
Rangoli
3695 Union Ave., at Camden, San Jose
(408) 377-2222 www.rangolica.com.
***
The Dish: Colorful modern style, fresh renditions of classic dishes and an approachable wine list lift this neighborhood Indian restaurant out of the ordinary.
Price range: Lunch buffet $9.99. Dinner appetizers $5-$11, entrees $10-$22. Corkage fee: $15.
Details: Indian beer and wine.
Pluses: Memorable tandoori trumpet mushrooms and praiseworthy chicken tikka masala.
Minuses: Lobster samosas are short on shellfish.
Hours: Lunch 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Mondays- Fridays. Dinner 5-9:30 p.m. Sundays- Thursdays, till 10 Fridays and Saturdays.
Restaurant reviews are conducted anonymously. The Mercury News pays for all meals.
To read more restaurant reviews, go to www.mercury news.com/aletawatson. Contact Aleta Watson at awatson@mercurynews.com or (408) 920-5032.
By Aleta WatsonMercury News
The first promising sign when you walk through the front door of Rangoli at lunch is the tantalizing aromas of cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and ginger drifting on the air.
The second is the warm greeting from the host, who guides you to a table draped in white linen and invites you to explore a double row of gleaming chafing dishes crowned with silver domes.
It's clear from the start this is no ordinary Indian buffet.
Rangoli, tucked into a shopping center in the less-than-fashionable Cambrian Park district of San Jose, is part of a new generation of Indian restaurants. After years of catering primarily to expat engineers and culinary adventurers, local South Asian restaurateurs are going upscale.
They're dressing up their dining rooms, introducing wine lists or cocktails, and reaching out to a wider audience. The most sophisticated and expensive take a cosmopolitan approach, applying Indian flavors and cooking techniques to more typically Californian ingredients.
Rangoli is a neighborhood place that sticks closer to tradition than some of this new generation with a small menu focused on North Indian standards and a handful of intriguing variations, such as lobster samosas. The 90-seat dining room, decorated in pale pistachio and shades of violet with more imagination than money, is appealing.
The food is fresh and lively, prepared with care from excellent ingredients. Prices, although higher than those at many old-style Indian restaurants, are generally moderate. Servers are eager to please.
"We can adjust spices for you," the hostess offered as she seated us one evening. "If you want a curry, we can change around the meats. We play with our food."
At lunch, the restaurant bustles with high-tech workers from the nearby eBay, Qualcomm and Xilinx campuses, all making the rounds of the well-stocked buffet. When owner Sukhpal Singh and son Sonu Singh opened in July, in the space formerly occupied by Host India, they did not plan to serve a lunch buffet. But customers balked, and the buffet was born.
"With Indian food, it's really what everyone wants," says the younger Singh, noting that even ritzy Amber India in Santana Row offers a buffet at lunch.
From the crispy samosas filled with a spicy mix of warm potatoes and peas to the light and creamy rice pudding sprinkled with pistachios, the buffet dishes were consistently good at my lunch. One row of chafing dishes offered chicken and lamb options. The other presented vegetarian choices. The dishes, made in small batches, were replenished regularly.
Among the highlights were a saute of zucchini and multi-colored bell peppers with whole cloves of garlic and an exemplary chicken tikka masala, the chunks of tandoori-roasted chicken breast swimming in a zippy tomato sauce, spiked with fenugreek and softened with cream and ground cashews.
A basket of buttery hot naan, which arrived at the table soon after we returned from the buffet, is included in the $9.99 price. Tangy mango lassi ($4) is not.
Sukhpal Singh, who also owns Rangoli Sweets, an Indian bakery in Santa Clara, is the executive chef. The food reflects his roots in New Delhi, although the free-range lamb is from Australia.
Sonu Singh who runs the front of the house and assisted with the design, is also the sommelier. His list of nearly 60 wines ranges the world, with selections from California, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and India, most running less than $50. They include sancerre from the Loire Valley of France, gruner veltliner from Austria and tempranillo from Spain.
More than a dozen wines, available by the glass at $6 to $9, are served from a temperature-controlled Cruvinet system to preserve freshness.
At dinner, the menu shifts to small plates, classic entrees, creative fish dishes and a variety of lamb dishes. Business was slow when my companion and I arrived in midweek, but that did not diminish the enthusiasm of the staff, who greeted us warmly and took pains to ensure we enjoyed ourselves.
Rangoli's ambitions are apparent in its stylish design. Long, filmy curtains screen the view of the parking lot outside, and half walls pierced with the distinctive ogee arches of India divide the cavernous dining room. A sculpture of the elephant-headed Ganesh, the god of success, graces the reception desk alongside an impressionistic mural of the Hindu god Krishna and his beloved Rada. Sanskrit verses from the Bahagavad Gita decorate the walls, although Sonu Singh confesses he's not certain what they say. Fusion music featuring tabla and sitar plays in the background.
Among the starters, a pair of luscious trumpet mushrooms ($9) marinated in spices and roasted in the tandoor was most successful, their flesh as delicate as scallops. The trio of lobster samosas ($11), presented in a porcelain cup, were hot and flavorful, but it was difficult to find the lobster. Vivid mango, coriander-mint and tamarind chutneys, bright as jewels, came with them.
Entrees include a terrific baingan bhartha ($12), an incendiary blend of tomatoes, onions and eggplant, soft and smoky from the high-temperature tandoor. Even the paneer saag-wala ($12), a nicely textured puree of spinach with cubes of mild cheese, packs a lot of heat. As our waiter warned when we told him we liked spicy food, "It's Indian hot. You probably want regular heat - medium."
Ahi tuna ($20), roasted in the tandoor, was tender and moist with an unusual velvety texture. Fragrant coconut milk tempered the slowly unfolding heat of fork-tender lamb madras ($17), served in a copper bowl.
There are few choices for dessert, even though the elder Singh specializes in sweets at his Santa Clara shop. Still, it's hard to beat the gulab jamun ($5). The golden fried balls of milk dough batter are served hot in a light syrup with just a whisper of rose water and saffron to add interest.
The classics get the attention they deserve at Rangoli.
Rangoli
3695 Union Ave., at Camden, San Jose
(408) 377-2222 www.rangolica.com.
***
The Dish: Colorful modern style, fresh renditions of classic dishes and an approachable wine list lift this neighborhood Indian restaurant out of the ordinary.
Price range: Lunch buffet $9.99. Dinner appetizers $5-$11, entrees $10-$22. Corkage fee: $15.
Details: Indian beer and wine.
Pluses: Memorable tandoori trumpet mushrooms and praiseworthy chicken tikka masala.
Minuses: Lobster samosas are short on shellfish.
Hours: Lunch 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Mondays- Fridays. Dinner 5-9:30 p.m. Sundays- Thursdays, till 10 Fridays and Saturdays.
Restaurant reviews are conducted anonymously. The Mercury News pays for all meals.
To read more restaurant reviews, go to www.mercury news.com/aletawatson. Contact Aleta Watson at awatson@mercurynews.com or (408) 920-5032.
Historic San Jose home to be restored
By Sandra Gonzales
Mercury News
Posted: 01/27/2009 06:31:50 PM PST
Casa Grande, a sprawling house built in 1855 in San Jose's New Almaden mining settlement, is about to be restored to its full grandeur.
The $5 million rehabilitation of the red brick Federalist-revival building will include seismic upgrades and restoration of the interior and exterior.
"When we have historic treasures like Casa Grande, we have an obligation to preserve them for the community and future generations," said Santa Clara County Board of Supervisor of Don Gage in a statement.
At one time, Almaden was the most valuable single mine in California and played a key role before and during the Gold Rush of 1849.
Casa Grande sits within the Almaden Quicksilver County Park. Between 1927 and the county's acquisition of Casa Grande in 1997, the 7,756-square foot building has served as a resort, saloon, restaurant, house, post office, dance hall, theater and office space.
The funding is provided by a variety of sources including the Santa Clara County Historical Heritage Grant Program, the California Heritage Grant and the National Trust for Historic Preservation Grant.
Bevilacqua and Sons, a general contracting firm in San Francisco will oversee the project.
Mercury News
Posted: 01/27/2009 06:31:50 PM PST
Casa Grande, a sprawling house built in 1855 in San Jose's New Almaden mining settlement, is about to be restored to its full grandeur.
The $5 million rehabilitation of the red brick Federalist-revival building will include seismic upgrades and restoration of the interior and exterior.
"When we have historic treasures like Casa Grande, we have an obligation to preserve them for the community and future generations," said Santa Clara County Board of Supervisor of Don Gage in a statement.
At one time, Almaden was the most valuable single mine in California and played a key role before and during the Gold Rush of 1849.
Casa Grande sits within the Almaden Quicksilver County Park. Between 1927 and the county's acquisition of Casa Grande in 1997, the 7,756-square foot building has served as a resort, saloon, restaurant, house, post office, dance hall, theater and office space.
The funding is provided by a variety of sources including the Santa Clara County Historical Heritage Grant Program, the California Heritage Grant and the National Trust for Historic Preservation Grant.
Bevilacqua and Sons, a general contracting firm in San Francisco will oversee the project.
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