Kepler’s Books might not be doomed after all. A group of investors is trying to help Clark Kepler save the bookstore his father founded 50 years ago.
Category Archives: San Francisco Bay Area
Kepler’s Books suddenly closes
After celebrating its 50th anniversary just a few months ago, Kepler’s Books suddenly closed its doors yesterday. What a shock, and what a shame — it was one of the most prominent independent bookstores in the U.S., akin to City Lights in San Francisco, Vroman’s in Pasadena, or Powell’s in Portland. Situated in Menlo Park …
Grand openings
Grand openings I’m keeping my eye on: Guadalupe River Park and Gardens: Saturday, September 10 De Young Museum: Saturday, October 15 San Jose’s new City Hall: also Saturday, October 15 (hmmm, that’s kinda annoying) Vasona VTA Light Rail Extension: whenever VTA can get federal approval to open. Hopefully September
Shiny happy redevelopment
The malls in Cupertino and Sunnyvale have been in the dumps for a decade, with promises of redevelopment come and
No bookstores in Cupertino???
When I moved to Cupertino in 1989, it had several general bookstores: A Clean Well-Lighted Place for Books in the Oaks, a B. Dalton in Cupertino Crossroads, a Waldenbooks in Vallco Mall, and a Crown Books in the Marketplace (across from Vallco). Stacey’s later opened a branch near Vallco. For the geeks, there was Computer …
Salvadorean food and Willow Glen ice cream
Two nights ago, my buddy Jonathan and I met up for dinner. We were in an adventurous mood, so we went to Vicky’s Restaurant [map | Mercury News review], which specializes in cuisine from El Salvador, in the Burbank neighborhood of San Jose. Jon couldn’t resist the 2 Tacos for $2 deal, but we also …
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Bay Bridge compromise
Miracle: Ahnold and the legislature leadership have finally reached a deal on the Bay Bridge replacement. Now maybe this bridge will be built before I turn 40. Sheesh.
Why I think there is a housing bubble in Silicon Valley
Consider this: between 2000 and 2005, housing prices have gone up 46%, or 7.9% per year. But at the same time… The population has gone up only 4%. Rental prices have gone down 16%, or 3.5% per year. Nonfarm payroll employment has dropped 14%, from almost 900,000 to less than 780,000. The ratio of buying …
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Silicon Valley food
The Mercury News reviews corporate cafeterias across Silicon Valley. By the way, I’ll say from personal experience that IBM Almaden Research Center’s cafeteria is also quite good. (By the way, all opinions expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect those of my employer, IBM.) Shortly after this article appeared, Charlie Ayers, Google’s head chef …
9-year old African-American boy sings Chinese opera
Tyler Thompson doesn’t speak the language, but he sings it very well. Oakland: Boy, 9, a rising star in Chinese opera • San Francisco Chronicle Boy who sings in Chinese draws oohs, ahs • Oakland Tribune (link good until Feb. 20, 2005) (Chronicle link added on Febrary 16, 2006)