6AM City In-house

How well do you know San Jose? 🔍

A “San Jose Scavenger” hunt
The front cover of the San Jose Scavenger book.
Will you take the challenge? | Photo by SJtoday staff
Get ready for a tour of San Jose unlike any other.

Local author Cassie Kifer — who published “Secret San Jose: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure” — has done it again.

In “San Jose Scavenger,” Cassie delves deep into the hidden treasures of the great 408, giving us playful riddles and rhymes to learn about notable San Jose landmarks, eateries, art, and more.

Today, we’re sharing new things we learned about various spots on the hunt.

A graphic with the scavenger clue next to a picture of Mexico Theater.

We loved revisiting the iconic theater.

Photos and graphic by SJtoday staff

Stop 1: The Mexico Theater

The line that clued us in: “First called Mayfair and later the Esquire/With this unique, cylindrical tower.”

This theater did indeed go through a few name changes after opening in 1949 before settling on “Mexico Theater” in 1980. It has been closed to patrons since the mid-1990s, but its Streamline Moderne style still makes it stand out on East Santa Clara Street.

There were talks of reviving this piece of architectural history by making it into a live entertainment music venue with a cafe and art gallery, but it remains vacant to this day.

A graphic with the scavenger clue next to a picture of Popular Bakery.

Of course we had to stop in for a bite.

Photos and graphic by SJtoday staff

The line that clued us in: “Crafting sweet round tarts with a lovely sheen/In flavors of almond, orange, or bean.”

This Portuguese-owned bakery has been a community mainstay for over 30 years. It is hailed as one of the must-try spots in the Bay Area for Portuguese egg custards, or pastéis de nata. And it won’t break the bank — enjoy lemon, bean, or coconut tarts for $1.50 each.

Pro tip: This spot bakes fresh bread daily — so grab the papo secos (Portuguese rolls) and don’t forget cash.

Join the hunt and submit your answers by Wednesday, May 31, 2023 for a chance to win a custom print from local artist Eddie Ramirez.
ONE MORE STOP
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

Click here to have your event featured.

Friday, Dec. 16
  • History Park’s Heritage Light Show | Friday, Dec. 16 | 5:30-8 p.m. | History Park, 635 Phelan Ave., San Jose | $5+ | Enjoy a dazzling display, along with “sleigh” rides, lawn games, food trucks, and plenty of photo ops.
  • The 57th Annual Nutcracker | Friday, Dec. 16 | 7:30 p.m. | San Jose Center for the Performing Arts, 255 S. Almaden Blvd., San Jose | $44+ | The San Jose Dance Theater returns for the Bay Area family tradition, running since 1964.
Saturday, Dec. 17
  • World’s Worst Expo | Saturday, Dec. 17 | 10 a.m.-6 p.m. | Eastridge Center, 2200 Eastridge Loop, San Jose | Free | Shop from 100+ local vendors, enjoy food, and a live DJ.
  • Art Show and Market | Saturday, Dec. 17 | 11 a.m.-4 p.m. | Art Object Gallery, 592 N. Fifth St., San Jose | Free | See an artistic spin on classic toys, hosted by Know Future Gallery.
  • Fox Tale’s 9-month Anniversary | Saturday, Dec. 17-Sunday, Dec. 18 | 12-10 p.m. | Fox Tale Fermentation Project, 30 E. Santa Clara St., Ste. 120, San Jose | Free | Celebrate Fox Tale’s “Best New Brewery” award with new concoctions, local art, and plants.
  • El Corazon Del Barrio | Saturday, Dec. 17 | 2-6 p.m. | 9 S. 26th St., San Jose | Free | SJ Makers and Let’s Create Cultura have teamed up to produce this graffiti art show featuring over a dozen local artists.
Sunday, Dec. 18
  • A Soulful Christmas | Sunday, Dec. 18 | 1 p.m. | Jackie’s Place, 840 N. First St., San Jose | Free | Meet some Bay Area foodies, enjoy live soul music, and take pictures with Santa.

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
MORE DECEMBER FUN
6AM City In-house

Weather
  • 59Âş | Sunny | 9% chance of rain
Development
  • This week, Google has begun demolishing the old Sunlite Bakery Bread Depot at 145 S. Montgomery Street for its future transit village. The bakery’s Art Moderne-style entrance will be preserved for the new Downtown West development. 🏗️ (The Mercury News)
Open
  • A new South San Jose storage complex, Silver Creek Self Storage, opened its newest segment this week which features 1,086 climate-controlled units, three elevators, and solar panels. About 16% of the units are occupied following the first phase that opened in June. 📦 (The Mercury News)
Featured
Legacy
  • A conference room behind the San Jose City Council chambers was recently named after former City Attorney Rick Doyle, who died at 65 years old from cancer last August. Rick spent more than 20 years in City Hall — advising three mayors during his time. 🏛️ (San JosĂ© Spotlight)
Ranked
  • San Jose-based Adobe Inc. and Santa Clara-based Nvidia Corp. were recently given high marks in the Wall Street Journal’s annual ranking of the best-run companies in the US. The companies claimed the top two spots in the employee engagement and development category. 🏆 (Silicon Valley Business Journal)
Holiday
  • Hanukkah sameach. This Sunday evening (Dec. 18) marks the beginning of Hanukkah — the Festival of Lights that lasts for eight days. The final night of Hanukkah is on Monday, Dec. 26. đź•Ž
Shop
  • It’s ok if you waited until the last minute to shop this season. There’s still time to shop items from our online shop Six & Main. We’re talking cocktail glasses, shirts, candles, mugs, and more. Our gift guides make shopping easy. 🛍️
Travel
Finance
Outdoors
  • Still shopping for the hunter or angler in your life? Sportsman’s Box, the leading gear discovery service for outdoorsmen, is adding a free $100 credit for all new members through Saturday, Dec. 31. Choose from nine leading brands with your first Sportsman’s Box and claim your free gift. 🎣 *
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Meet the author 🤝

Q+A: Cassie Kifer, author of “San Jose Scavenger”
A headshot of author Cassie Kifer.
Let’s learn more about the writer on all things local. | Photo via Cassie Kifer
So you’ve learned a bit about “San Jose Scavenger,” and all the fun we had exploring its pages. Let’s meet the woman behind it all, shall we?

Cassie Kifer may not have been born here, but her 15 years as a resident of the great 408 definitely show in her knowledge of local hidden gems. 🏙️

Read on to learn about her process of writing the hunt, some of her San Jose favorites, and the coolest person she’s met in San Jose.

Q: How did you come up with the idea of “San Jose Scavenger”?
A: After my first book, “Secret San Jose: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure” came out in 2020, readers started asking me to organize a scavenger hunt. I loved the idea of challenging people to get out beyond the communities they live in and know best, and explore other neighborhoods in our region.
8 MORE QUESTIONS FOR CASSIE
6AM City In-house
THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Alyson.

Editor’s pick: Exciting personal news... I got two tattoos this week from Soul Imagez Tattoo in North San Jose — they had an awesome promo that offered two “best friend” tattoos for $25 each. My housemate and I got our zodiac signs on the back of our legs, and then I got another $25 tattoo of some heart cherries. If you have ink, what’s your favorite one? If you want some ink, I recommend checking these shops out.

Missed the last newsletter? Learn about our sister city, Pune, India.
Connect with us.

Editorial: Alyson Chuyang, Britt Thorson, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

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