California Dreamin - San Jose Museum of Art

A couple of weeks ago my son and I decided to go to one of our favorite places in Downtown San Jose, the San Jose Museum of Art, to check out their new exhibit California Dreamin. This exhibit is very cool and unique. It definitely gave off an endless summer vibe, which is perfect for summer time. 

The California Dreamin exhibit by Won Ju Lim "unleashes the psychic dimensions of time and space. This exhibit was inspired by Baroque architecture, science fiction films and urban landscape. She explores the intersections between reality and fantasy, real and imagined space".  Lim created California Dreamin while living abroad in Germany. She was feeling homesick for Southern California, where my roots are as well. She designed multicolored Plexiglas constructions which reminded us a little of Magna Tiles. These colorful Plexiglas designs are laid out as an imaginary Los Angeles, with picturesque sunsets and swaying palm trees. "She transforms clichéd images of the city into an experience of the sublime."  We really loved this exhibit. The projections on the walls were fun especially when you can see your shadow towering over the city of Los Angeles. It also made me a little homesick for a city that I lived in as a young adult. 

After checking out the California Dreamin exhibit we explored more of the museum. We enjoyed the House Imaginary exhibit as well. It is an exhibit where "artists use the idea of a single family-house to explore memory, identity, and belonging.  Many of the works in the exhibition reflect the personal memories and childhood homes of the artists". Our favorite installation from this exhibit is by Oakland artist Mildred Howard called Abode: Sanctuary For the Familia(r), which is a house constructed of blue bottles that represent where memories are kept. We also enjoyed the 3D prints in the same room upstairs, which you look at with 3D glasses.  These are a lot of fun to check out. 

The last exhibit that we explored was the Conversion: Art and Engineering. We loved this because it is a hands on exhibit, fantastic for little engineers. I love the quote on the wall by Alexander Calder, my favorite modern sculpture artist, "To an engineer, good enough means perfect. With an artist, there's no such thing as perfect." The theme throughout the museum is about engineering and art. Starting with the Los Angeles architecture of California Dreamin, the shelter structures of House Imaginary, and the artist structures of the Art and Engineering, all very inspiring! 

Museum of Ice Cream - San Francisco

A month ago the Museum of Ice Cream announced its summer ticket sales on Instagram and Facebook. We really wanted to go to this pop up museum since we loved the Color Factory so much! The San Francisco location opened up in September. They also have three other locations in Los Angeles, New York and one in Miami that just opened up in December. This museum is set up in a similar fashion to The Color Factory but less interactive and it included a lot of fun treats to eat throughout the tour of the museum. When you arrive they have you line up by group for your time slot. They keep your group together throughout the museum tour. 

When you first walk in they give you instructions on how you tour the museum. The first stop is the Ice Cream Shop where you get to sample all of their current ice cream flavors. The flavors to choose from are "Sprinkle Pool, Piñata, Cherrylicious, and Vanillonare". We tried Sprinkle Pool and Piñata.  Piñata was the better of the two. It has broken Mothers animal cookies inside of it with vanilla ice cream. Starting on July 8, 2018 and running through December 2018 they will be selling pints of "Museum of Ice Cream" in Target stores with more flavors such as Churro Churro and  Chocolate Crush.

After your ice cream tasting you wait in line for the "Sprinkle Pool". They only allow so many people at a time for the pool since it is rather small. As you are waiting in line you get to swing on three different swings and take photos. The first swing is in a small room filled with cans of whipped cream.  It was our favorite room. The next swing room has you sitting on a big Neapolitan ice cream sandwich shaped swing in a striped Neapolitan colored room. The last was a Banana Split swing room with pink banana balloons suspended from the celling. 

The next part is the "Sprinkle Pool" room, which has a small pool filled with 100 million plastic sprinkles and pool inner tubes. They have lockers were you place your belongings. You then get a time limit to submerge yourself in the pool full of sprinkles. We had fun playing in the pool and taking pictures. When your time is up you go into the sprinkle shower to blow them all off.  That was a....blast!  They added the sprinkle shower because the plastic sprinkles have been tracked onto city streets and sidewalks after people leave the museum. The museum was fined for this since it was getting into the storm drains. 

After the "Sprinkle Pool and Shower" your are lead into another part of the museum. You first start with the fun wheel and spin to find out your fortune. Following the wheel you get to do a "Whip-N-Toss" where you toss plastic rings onto cans of whipped cream. Then you get a prize of a package of "Pop Rocks" afterward. Then you move into the "Marye's Diner" where you get to try the Cherrylicious ice cream in a cone at the ice cream counter. 

Moving on from the "Marye's Diner" is the the "Make a Statement What Do You Scream For?" room, where you can spell out what you scream for with magnetic letters. We had fun playing with the letters in this room. 

The next room is the "Cherry on Top" room. When you first walk in there is a guy that is making fresh cherry cotton candy by hand in a machine. We thought it was the best cotton candy we had ever had. Once you get your cotton candy you get to go into a magical room of fluffy clouds and cherry's suspended from the celling. We both really loved this whole section of the museum, lots of fun!

The next magical room was the "Gummy Bear" room, which is so bright and cheery. We also had fun taking photos with all of our new gummy bear friends. 

From gummy bears you move onto the "Carnival Room" were you get to ride two different animal cookie friends by just a push of a button. We both had a blast in this room. It is very cute!

After the carnival fun you get to choose form the "La Michoacana Paletas" popsicles. There are lime, pineapple, strawberry, mango and coconut flavors to chose from. We both chose lime, which we enjoyed in the rainbow area with the fun unicorns "Harvey Milk" and "Gloria Steinem" and took photos. Love how bright and cheery this room is. 

While we were in the "Unicorn Rainbow Room" we noticed two small colorful doors that you have to crawl through. We discovered this tiny craw space that was filled with mosaic mirrors and my son hung out in there for a bit checking himself out. 

After checking the mirrors is the last room, the "Mint Life Room", where you are in a jungle of mint leaves and you are served mint chocolate Mochi ice cream balls.

You then end up in the "Museum of Ice Cream gift shop", which is filled with fun enamel pins, books, jewelry,  tote bags, apparel, etc., mostly all in pink. 

We had such a great day in San Francisco and at the Museum of Ice Cream.  We actually came home with sprinkles in our socks and shoes even though we air blowed ourselves to be sprinkle free. We added our sprinkle souvenirs to out little wooden box filled with confetti from the Color Factory as a happy memory of our fun day!

Little Italy - San Jose

Recently my son did a report on Italy for his class. I had fun teaching him about one of my favorite countries and reminiscing about my past Italy trips while looking at photo albums with him. Since I won't be going back there anytime soon I decided to get a little piece of Italy again in my own backyard in San Jose's Little Italy. Many times on the way to the 87 freeway entrance on Julian St. I have passed the sign for Little Italy and wondered what it was all about. 

"Nestled among San Jose's multi-faceted cultural pockets the block of West Julian Street and West St. John Street, you'll find an example of its rich history in Little Italy. Little Italy was the first Italian immigrant neighborhood in San Jose, as one of three, and now stands as the last. Though Little Italy is only a few blocks long you will find no shortage of delicious food and Italian pride. The neighborhood is crowded by iconic 31 ft Little Italy sign". 

Paesano Ristorante Italianio on W. Julian St. is known for it's classic Italian fare. It is located right next to the Little Italy sign.  I am looking forward to checking this place out for a date night.

Bel Bacio Imported Italian Coffee is the perfect place for breakfast, afternoon coffee, or a place to stroll to for an after dinner treat. Bel Bacio has been located in Little Italy for 5 1/2 years. 8 months ago Gary and Judy Sunseri took over the little Italian cafe which serves authentic Italian food including Italian coffee, pastries, cookies, gelato, panini's, lasagna, and calzones. 

Bel Bacio has a cozy atmosphere inside and outside. There are several rooms where you can enjoy their delicious treats or work on your lap top. You can also enjoy the beautiful patio or quaint porch. The cafe was originally a house that was moved from River Street after flooding. After having a nice conversation with Gary and Judy about the history of Little Italy and their cafe I went outside with my delicious chocolate-dipped almond biscotti and unique Italian Chocolate Drizzle Cookie. The whole experience at this cafe was delightful. This place is a hidden gem!

After enjoying my coffee and treats Judy showed me behind the cafe where there is a patio area called the "Piazza" which can be used by the public for parties. It was so cute and really neat that there is this wonderful outdoor space that can be used by the community.  Little Italy really seems to be a community driven neighborhood. 

Henry's World Famous Hi-Life BBQ is a long time staple in Little Italy on the corner of W. Julian St. and St. John St. It was originally the site of the Torino Hotel 60 years ago where Italian immigrant workers lived while working in the fields. Now it serves as Little Italy's spot for superb BBQ. I definitely need to come back to this place since my husband loves good BBQ. 

Enoteca La Storia is a Classic Italian wine shop, restaurant, and soccer lounge on St John St. in Little Italy. "This place is a gathering spot for sharing and savoring fine wines, craft beers, and the company of friends and family". I really enjoyed being shown the space which is rich in history. The building used to actually be a bread baking company. When renovating the space they found old bread boards in the rafters. Enoteca La Storia was founded by long time friends Joe Cannistraci and Michael Guerra. They both had a vision of creating a relaxing and inviting environment for people to enjoy fine wine, traditional Italian food and lively conversation. I spoke to the manager and arranged with her to have my San Jose scavenger hunt "EAT SHOP AND GATHER" on Saturday August 25th. The event will end here with a gathering to chat about the scavenger hunt over food and wine. 

Here's to another exciting and education blog day in my own backyard of San Jose. This day inspired me to do my event on this historic side of town starting in Japantown, then over to the Rose Garden, and finishing up in Little Italy. See you on August 25th for a day to EAT, SHOP, and GATHER in historic San Jose!