February 13, 2024

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Today’s Forecast

64º | Cloudy | 9% chance of rain | Sunrise: 6:59 a.m. | Sunset: 5:44 p.m.

🍹 Bottom’s up

In a dimly lit bar, a bright orange cocktail with a chili pepper, a straw, and a green plant stand in the foreground.

It’s not a pour decision if you pace yourself and stay hydrated. | Photo courtesy @haberdashersj

Pour one out for us — we’re here for a good time, not a long time.

Whether you’re celebrating Mardi Gras, or looking for a fun spot to hang with your friends, here are three places with the heaviest pours in town — drink responsibly.

Haberdasher, 43 W. San Salvador St.

Go big or go home with this hip, underground spot in the SoFA district. Be immersed in suspenders and trendy mustaches while you sip on a solid craft cocktail. The drinks may be on the pricier side, but it’s totally worth it. City Editor Gregg here — I recommend you try out the bacon Old Fashioned at least once.
Rating: Take a first date here/10

A creamy cocktail sits on a dark wood table. The cocktail has a flaming lime poking out of the rim. — You put the lime in the coconut drink, and... *set it on fire?*
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Photo by SJtoday staff

Dr. Funk, 29 N. San Pedro St.

Walking into this tropical getaway is like stepping into your favorite dive bar and dinner joint. The cocktails are boozy, fruity, and definitely not for the faint of heart. We recommend the Drink of the Gods — three different types of rum, coconut, cherry, pineapple, lemon + bitters? Yes please.
Rating: Swashbuckling swagger/10

A bright, red cocktail with a black straw, and filled with an orange and other fruits. — It definitely will take “industrial strength” on your part to finish one swirl.
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Photo by SJtoday staff

Aqui Cal-Mex, four locations

It’s no secret, the “Industrial Strength” swirls are probably the single most dangerous drink in the entire Bay Area. One is plenty, two is far too many, and it’s a good thing that’s the maximum because after three, you may be questioning your life choices. If you’re looking to go less hard in the paint, try Aqui’s lighter, less alcoholic line of swirls. For a good time, pair a single swirl with the incredible Cuban pork carnitas.
Rating: Pace yourself/10

Have a favorite spot with heavy drinks we missed? Let us know.

Events

Tuesday, Feb. 13

City Council Meeting | Tuesday, Feb. 13 | 1:30 p.m. | Council Chambers, San Jose | Free | Be an active member of your local government + tune in on the city’s latest happenings.
SFBW: Alvarado South Bay Soirée | Tuesday, Feb. 13 | 4 p.m. | South Winchester BBQ, 1362 S. Winchester Blvd., San Jose | Free | Enjoy tasty barbecue, raffles, giveaways, and craft brews from the the Alvarado Street Brewery Crew.
Blaze & Bubbles | Tuesday, Feb. 13 | 5 p.m. | Cloud City Supply, 325 E. Campbell Ave., Campbell | $20-$30 | Enjoy bubbles and fondue with a romantic touch of herbal sophistication.
Galentine’s Day Gathering | Tuesday, Feb. 13 | 5-9 p.m. | Taplands, 1171 Homestead Rd., Santa Clara | Embrace your inner Leslie Knope and celebrate with your gal pals with a curated tap of beers made by women + female-owned breweries.

Wednesday, Feb. 14

The Greatest Travel Show | Wednesday, Feb. 14 | 12-7 p.m. | Hilton Santa Clara, 4949 Great America Pkwy., San Jose | Free | Travel experts will take you through some of the most iconic destinations in the world + help you plan your next trip.
Sexy Pajama Party Bingo | Wednesday, Feb. 14 | 7:30-9:30 p.m. | Britannia Arms Almaden, 5027 Almaden Expwy., San Jose | Free | It’s a hearty night full of bingo, bubbles, and boxes of chocolate.

Thursday, Feb. 15

Lunar New Year | Thursday, Feb. 15 | 8 p.m. | Casino M8trix, 1887 Matrix Blvd., San Jose | Free | Drop in for a fireworks + lion dancer show.
“Nora: A Doll’s House” | Thursday, Feb. 15 | 8-10 p.m. | City Lights Theater Company, 529 S. Second St., San Jose | $28-$67 | Watch this retelling of the classic that talks women’s roles + female suffrage — with stories set in 1918, 1968, and 2018.

Events calendar here

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News Notes

Today Is

Mardi Gras, a celebration of indulgence on the eve of Lent, featuring fabulous food + flying jewelry. Celebrate with Poor House Bistro today with food + drink specials all day, and live music between 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Let the good times roll.

Biz

It’s official — The Mayan-themed Fry’s Electronics store on East Brokaw Road has been purchased by Super Micro Computer for $80 million. The site will soon be home to a seven-building office campus totaling 1.92 million sqft + two parking structures. A construction timeline was not announced. (The Mercury News)

Community

Instead of delivering 200 prefabricated homes to San Jose as previously promised, the governor’s office will now send a fixed payment of $12.7 million to the city to construct interim housing. Plans to install housing units at Santa Clara VTA’s Cerone Yard may now be delayed. (KQED)

Sports

San Jose Sharks center Tomas Hertl will have surgery on his left knee following an injury while playing against the Buffalo Sabres late last month. It’s unclear when he’ll have the procedure, but is expected to miss the next several weeks to recover. (The Mercury News)

Kids

The Children’s Discovery Museum will open its “Hello from Japan!” exhibit this Saturday, Feb. 17, and invite young ones to enjoy child-sized streets of Tokyo. Kiddos can sing karaoke, crawl through forests, and design kawaii (cute, adorable) mascots. Get your tickets now.

Eat

In honor of Black History Month, The Mercury News gathered a list of restaurants, bakeries, caterers, and more that are owned by Black chefs + entrepreneurs. See all 23 establishments based in the South Bay. (The Mercury News)

Holiday

A reminder that tomorrow, February 14, is Valentine’s Day. Sending flowers? Shop bouquets at Hill’s Flowers, or get one of 1-800-Flowers’ Valentine’s Day bouquets delivered to that special someone.*

Asked

🎶 Baby, come back

Century 22 dome in San Jose with the marquee reading, "Goodbye San Jose So Long."

We all have memories at the iconic Century dome theaters. | Photo via @nekappix

You know we’re big into nostalgia, and had asked you before what now-defunct play place you’d like to revive, and responses were through the roof. (It was Nickel City, followed by Raging Waters, by the way.)

But, we can’t forget about a bunch of locally loved mainstays that have come + gone. And, like any lost love, there are days where we find ourselves pining for their return.

Here’s our next question: What local businesses would you like to see make a comeback?

To get the conversation started, here are city editors Alyson + Gregg’s top choices:

Aki’s Bakery — Originally opened in 1963, this Japantown + Willow Glen staple closed after 40 years in business. We still yearn for the taste of that Hawaiian guava chiffon cake.
Mini Gourmet — One of the only 24-hour diners in the South Bay, this unpretentious little spot was a late-night fixture for college students.

Which local establishments do you miss?

We want to know

The Buy

This margarita mixers bundle, since National Margarita Day is coming up on Thursday, February 22 and we’re trying to be as prepared as possible, thank you very much. Get four margarita flavors to play with including “Simple Margarita” and “Blood Orange Margarita.”

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Alyson

From the editor

Happy Valentines Eve, do you have plans for the holiday of love tomorrow? My partner and I decided to skip the frills of a romantic restaurant date for something less... traditional. Our plans include throwing axes + eating Animal Style burgers from In-N-Out.

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