aprila\G JANUARY 2018 "A Hospitality Networking Organization" WWW.SILICONVALLEYCONCIERGE.COM Congratulations Recognition from the Santa Clara City Council in December of 2017 #SanJoseEATS takes place Jan. 15-28 as part of California Restaurant Month. Now in its eighth year, California Citti’s Florist was recognized for their years of Restaurant Month is a state-wide program sponsored by service to the City of Santa Clara serving the encouraging visitors to partake in California cuisine. Mission City for decades. Chris Citti accepting In 2016, travelers in California spent $33.9 billion on food and beverage (Source: Dean Runyan Associates), and 38 million the award. domestic visitors participated in fine dining throughout the state. The SVO is a proud partner with SVO member Team San Jose on this event aimed at celebrating our diverse culinary offerings in San Jose. Below are the SVO members participating. Be sure to stop by and show them support. EMC Seafood & Raw Bar Santana Row LB Steak Santana Row Fountain Restaurant Olla Cocina Fogo de Chão Santana Row The Farmers Union Loft Bar & Bistro Dining with Bella! I spent the week between Christmas and New Years in Palm Springs. The average daily temperature was 80 degrees with full sun. Swimming in January, lying by the pool with an adult beverage, all things I highly recommend in the dead of winter. Tried a couple of different restaurants while I was there. TRIO Best deal in town if you eat before 6:00 p.m. They have a three-course The CAMPBELL Chamber is looking for a welcoming person meal at 19.99 that is absolutely delicious. Opened since 2009, they are to fill our front desk position. Work in a friendly listed in the top 10% of restaurants worldwide on Travel Advisor so they environment, assist with telephones, various office needs, must be doing something right. assist Chamber membership team, event coordination, attend monthly luncheons, and create flyers and much more. I highly recommend this one, the wait staff was fabulous, the food was The right individual will have a positive attitude and willing to generous and very tasty and the environment is fun. take on new challenges. Kaiser Grill Knowledge of data base management software (we will train) We chose this restaurant for our New Year’s Eve dinner. They serve and Microsoft Office a plus. Able to work on a variety of tasks natural and hormone-free USDA beef, free range organic chicken and in an interrupt-driven atmosphere. Excellent communication sustainable/wild seafood along with fresh locally sourced vegetables. and customer service skills a must. They make their desserts, dressings and sauces in house. This is a full time position. The first thing that caught my eye was that the majority of the restaurant is outdoors. They have indoor seating, but they also have an expansive Interested? patio. We chose indoor which was interesting because the tables are on Send resumes to [email protected]. different levels; we were in the back with a tall table. My side of the table had booth like seating for me and my companion, while a good friend was in a tall chair on the other side, allowing us all to be at the same height. Interesting interior and seating. I started my evening with the Lobster Bisque, which was delightful. It’s not on their regular menu, so I won’t go into too much detail. My companion had the Burrata Mozzarella & Prosciutto - roasted apple, arugula, balsamic reduction, basil olive oil, crostini at 16.00 and was very Become a Digital Power User happy with the choice. Our friend had the Maryland Blue Crab Cake Silicon Valley Capital Club | February 6 (17.00) which came with a celery remoulade and roasted lemon aioli. Join us for this power seminar to start the New Year with fresh The size of the cake was really large, was very fresh, and very good. prospects. Part of our seminar will focus on guiding you through our newly released 2018 Book of Lists. We will also For dinner I chose the Filet Mignon, 41.00 (8 oz. and very lean and share strategies, quick tips and action items to keep your sales tender) along with the lobster tail, 25.00. It was, after all, New Year’s pipeline full and get more out of your subscription to bolster Eve! The steak came with a cabernet reduction sauce that I absolutely your bottom line. loved. The meal came with whipped potatoes and fresh asparagus. My dinner companions had the Pepper – Furikake Crusted Wild Ahi Tuna Tataki, pan-seared rare tuna, lemongrass ginger infused rice. Tempura green beans at 32.00. For dessert I chose the Molten Lava cake. It was a little bland and didn’t havemuch in the way of “lava” but the rest of the meal was so good, I didn’t dwell on this course. SILICON VALLEY CONCIERGE ASSOCIATION The only drawback to our experience at this restaurant was the constant rushing we received from our waiter. Maybe because it was New Year’s Eve and he wanted to turn the tables as fast as possible, but we hadn’t even finished our appetizers when the meals arrived. We did tell him that Follow Us! it was very quick and his response was that it was “like magic”. We were unable to slow him down and felt pressured to eat and go. CIAO BELLA! Www.facebook.com/siliconvalleyconciergeassociation VALLEY ACCESS ELECTRONIC MAGAZINE/ 2 Head to In-N-Out to try THINGS TO DO their first new menu item in 15 years bayarea.com By Linda Zavoral New Habit Burger Grill The famously limited menu at California’s iconic In-N-Out Burger has increased by one item — for offering free lunch Tuesday the first time in 15 years. By Linda Zavoral Could it be onion rings, made fresh right before your eyes as you inch through the drive-thru lane? Nope. Could it be a classic hot dog? A meat-free patty? Nope and nope. It’s hot cocoa for customers in the warm-weather states of California, Utah, Arizona, Texas, Nevada and Oregon, where In-N-Out operates, according to our colleagues at the Orange County Register. (You residents of the “bomb cyclone” The Habit Burger Grill, founded in Santa Barbara, is expanding to Cupertino and adding another San Jose location soon. (Photo courtesy of the Habit Burger Grill) states will have to wait for your Double-Doubles AND your hot chocolate.) If you thought you would stay at home Tuesday, Jan. 9, during Day 2 of the Bay Area’s first storm An employee in the city of Orange told reporter Nancy Luna that the beverage is made with hot of 2018, here’s reason to brave the rain: water, not milk, and is topped with mini- marshmallows. The 8-ounce drink sells for $1.60. The Bay Area’s newest Habit Burger Grill — in It’s available at select locations and has yet to be Cupertino — will offer free lunch starting at 11:30 added to the company’s website. a.m. to the first 200 people in line. Customers will get to pick a char-grilled meal from a pre-selected The last time In-N-Out expanded its menu of menu — could be the chain’s signature burgers, fries and shakes was about 15 years ago, Charburger or a char-grilled tuna or a salad when lemonade joined the array of drinks. topped with grilled chicken. (You’ll find out the choices upon arrival.) The SoCal-based In-N-Out Burger first opened in Baldwin Park in 1948 and remains a privately held This restaurant at 20735 Stevens Creek Blvd. is company. the sixth Habit in Santa Clara County and the first in Cupertino. A seventh South Bay location is coming soon — to 1510 Monterey Road in San Jose. The first Habit opened in Santa Barbara in 1969. The chain boasts fresh, never frozen beef for its Charburgers. VALLEY ACCESS ELECTRONIC MAGAZINE/4 THIS IS HOW WE CRUZ Photo Courtesy of Frans Lanting ELEPHANT SEALS Año Nuevo State Park is the site for one of the largest mainland breeding colonies in the world for the northern elephant seal, and lucky for us, it’s just 22 miles north of Santa Cruz along scenic Highway 1. Mating, birthing, nursing, fighting - - it all happens up close and personal on a 3 mile guided tour. Knowledgeable and passionate docents lead the way over sandy dunes to the best viewing spots, answering questions, COME TO SANTA CRUZ and sprinkling fun facts along the way. Although the elephant seals are present year round, guided tours are available daily from December 15 through March 31 for just $7 per person FOR A WINTER (children 3 and under are free). Persons requiring mobility assistance or the accompaniment of a service animal may make WILDLIFE reservations for special Equal Access Guided Walks. Photo Courtesy of Jim Capwell Santa Cruz is known for its phenomenal wildlife viewing opportunities. Year round whale watching, birding, otters and elephant seals, and seasonal monarch butterflies have put Santa Cruz County on the map for many nature enthusiasts! But in December and January there seems to be a crescendo of wildlife that makes Santa Cruz a wintertime must-see! Migrating gray whales, breeding elephant seals, wintering monarchs, and upwards of 400 species of birds make these months the perfect time to get out and enjoy nature. And a major bonus to your winter getaway -- many hotels are partnering up for some great deals for your stay! So check out some of our wintertime wildlife must-sees, grab a FREE Wildlife Watch Kit, and start Photo Courtesy of Matthew Foreman planning your trip to Santa Cruz.