A cake that reads, "Happy Birthday SJtoday."

This celebration calls for a burnt almond cake from Peter’s Bakery. | Photo by SJtoday staff

235 newsletters. 271 Instagram posts. One fantastic year.

Since sending out our first newsletter exactly one year ago, we’ve had so much fun getting to know our city better and sharing the stories of our great 408 with you all. Let’s take a look back at SJtoday’s first trip around the sun. 🎂

❤️ Your favorites

The numbers don’t lie, these were our top-clicked stories that you loved.

8 unique cafes | San Jose sure has some great gems for a cup of joe.
Restaurants open late | We’re happy our guide comes in handy for the midnight munchies.
Alum Rock Park’s historic mineral springs | Who would’ve thought that our 100-year-old park once served as a health haven?

💬 Stories (by you)

We love hearing from our readers. So, give yourself a pat on the back, because these stories couldn’t have been written without you.

SJ things we’re thankful for | So much gratitude was displayed here, it warms our hearts.
Ultimate SJ bucket list | These San Jose staples will surely keep a newcomer occupied.

🕰️ Throwin’ it back

One of our favorite parts of our job is diving into our city’s past — there’s just so much to uncover.

San Jose’s historic landmarks | It’s great to see pieces of our city’s history still standing.
Ashworth-Remillard House | One of our favorite parts of this story? Hearing the alleged ghost tales.

📲 Our fav media moments

Everything we do is for all of you, but also... we do it for the gram.

Downtown’s newest gallery | Shoutout to owner Andrew Espino for inviting us to 1Culture’s first show.
Eataly Sillicon Valley opening | A pasta-cutting? Say less.
San Jose Dons Motorcycle Club | It was a great ride back in time to see how this 90-year-old club stays active.

EVENTS

Click here to have your event featured.

Wednesday, Feb. 1

We Ain’t Done Wild’N Yet Comedy Tour | Wednesday, Feb. 1 | 8 p.m. | San Jose Improv, 62 S. Second St., San Jose | $25+ | Get ready for some hilarious improv.

Thursday, Feb. 2

Satchmo at the Waldorf | Thursday, Feb. 2 | Times vary | The Stage, 490 S. First St., San Jose | $38+ | Catch this one-man, three-character play in which the same actor portrays Louis Armstrong, Armstrong’s manager, and Miles Davis.
David Lucas | Thursday, Feb. 2 | 8 p.m. | San Jose Improv, 62 S. Second St., San Jose | This comedian has opened for Louis CK, Joe Rogan, Tony Hinchcliffe and Brendan Schaub.

Friday, Feb. 3

Bay Area Legends | Friday, Feb. 3 | Times vary | 1Culture, 136 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose | Free | View live paintings and a gallery by some of the most talented local graffiti artists.
Hammer Presents: Black Cab Jazz - Melissa Aldana | Friday, Feb. 3 | 7 p.m. | Hammer Theatre Center, 101 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose | $25+ | Enjoy works from this Grammy-nominated saxophonist and composer.

Saturday, Feb. 4

Dungeons and Dragons Campaign Series | Saturday, Feb. 4 | 10 a.m.-2 p.m. | Q Corner Office, 1075 E. Santa Clara St., San Jose | Free | This four-part series brings monsters and magic for all experience levels.
Cats of Ancient Egypt | Saturday, Feb. 4 | 12:30-1:30 p.m. | Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, 1660 Park Ave., San Jose | Free with museum admission | Learn the secrets of why the Ancient Egyptians loved the feline form and how cats influenced the Ancient Egyptian spiritual beliefs.

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.

FEBRUARY IS UPON US

NEWS NOTES

Weather

63º | Partly cloudy | 2% chance of rain
Stay bundled, San Jose. Frost advisories have been issued for most of the Bay Area, warning of overnight temperatures in the low 30s. Santa Clara County has set up overnight warming centers at several libraries around the South Bay — locate the nearest to stay toasty. ❄️ (NBC Bay Area)

Development

Keystone, a downtown hotel planned near Google’s transit village, has broken ground after securing a $48 million construction loan. The 8-floor, 176-room hotel is expected to have a rooftop lounge and bar — however, a construction timeline has not yet been announced. 💰 (The Mercury News)

Watch

Save the dates. Cinequest says its “Cinejoy Virtual Festival” is set for Wednesday, March 1-Sunday, March 12. Meanwhile, its regular “Cinquest Film & Creativity Festival” is Friday, Aug. 11-Sunday, Aug. 20. Tickets for the virtual movie festival will be available on Wednesday, Feb. 8. 🎥

Try This

In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, the Winchester Mystery House will host the second installment of its “Centennial Speaker Series” on Saturday, Feb. 11, featuring historical romance expert Isobel Carr. Learn about everything love in the Victorian-era — get your tickets before they sell out. 💘

Arts

The Santa Clara County Office of Education is hosting a 2023 Young Artist Showcase, which invites public school students grades pre-k to 12th to create artwork in line with the theme, “Hope in a New Era.” Art can be submitted online by Monday, April 3. 🖌️

Plan Ahead

There’s more ice news ahead. “Stars on Ice” is coming to the SAP Center on Sunday, May 21, highlighting figure skating champions from around the world. Expect Olympic Gold Medalist Nathan Chen and US champions Jason Brown, Ilia Malinin, and Isabeau Levito. Tickets are on sale now. ⛸️

Seasonal

Instead of roses or chocolate, opt for an experiential Valentine’s Day gift this year, like an intimacy card deck or chocolate truffle making kit from Uncommon Goods. Wanna plan the ultimate date night? Order this fondue set for two or enjoy this virtual romantic painting class. 💝 *

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EAT AND DRINK

Calling all zythophiles 🍺

A graphic featuring Camino Brewing Company, Clandestine Brewing, and S27 Ales glasses.

There’s something fun brewing... | Photos via SJtoday staff, @randywelch5708, and @clandestinebrewing

SF Beer Week has commenced, and San Jose is joining the party.

The Guildhouse will host a kickoff event on Saturday, Feb. 11, and feature pours from local craft breweries including: Narrative Fermentations, Hapa’s Brewing Co., Strike Brewing Co., Fox Tale Fermentation Project, S27 Alehouse & Brewery, Camino Brewing Co., and more.

This special brew will debut, too — “This Beer Creates Opportunity” — a 8.5% ABV hazy double IPA created by all five chapters (SF, Silicon Valley, North Bay, Coast, and East Bay) of the Bay Area Brewers Guild.

Proceeds from the beer’s sale will go towards creating opportunities + improving diversity within the Bay Area’s craft beer industry.

Grab tickets for the kickoff event on Eventbrite, which start at $55.

But wait, the celebrations don’t stop there. Hapa’s Brewing Co. will host a sixth anniversary party + Clandestine Brewing will celebrate its fifth anniversary. Cheers to that. 🍻

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Alyson.

Editor’s pick: Exactly one year ago today, I remember the excitement (and nervousness) I felt to launch SJtoday. Would San Jose welcome us with open arms? Would our readers be interested in what we’d have to say? Fast forward, and I can happily say that my nerves are gone. You all have shown SJtoday so much support, and you continue to motivate us to write with passion about our great city. Don’t be shy — let us know what you’d like to read about as we enter our second year.

Missed the last newsletter? Check out some Valentine’s Day gift ideas from our store, Six & Main.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Alyson Chuyang, Britt Thorson, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Julie Brown | Advertise with us.

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