san jose

Beyond Van Gogh San Jose

 in Events / General Fashion  tagged art / beyond van gogh / family / outfits / san jose by

wearing: large hoop earrings / black top / G buckle belt / bracelets (local San Jose designer!) / pleated green skirt / black pouch / fall nail polish / black chain boots /

Art meets tech at the new Beyond Van Gogh, immersive experience in San Jose! I was thrilled when Beyond Van Gogh invited me to attend their press preview party last Thursday; one day before the event’s grand opening. It was amazing to be able to view the new exhibit, and to take photos, in order to share the event with you. If you are local, I hope you want to go!

I don’t want to give away too much information, because then you won’t be surprised when you attend the event. So, I will give you a brief overview!

The “Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience” is currently being held at the San Jose Convention Center in downtown San Jose. It’s an amazing walk-through and experience you won’t want to miss! The exhibit begins with an educational walk-through which details Van Gogh’s life and experiences. This is an important, educational moment in the exhibit, so make sure you read it all!

After reading about Van Gogh’s life, inspiration, and experiences, you will be guided into an immersive room which walks you through his paintings and life works. His artwork is grouped by theme, and using technology, the paintings fade in and out, and immerse you inside of them! It really is quite an amazing experience!

My husband and I chose to stand, pause, and wander through the area. If you prefer to sit, there are benches around the room, and some attendees sat on the ground and really felt themselves immersed into the art. This truly is an incredible fusion of art and tech. My husband even commented that he would love to see other artists works’ in this way. I agree!

It is also a great way to introduce Van Gogh to children, who may otherwise bore at a traditional museum. The immersive experience is fun for kids; as we witnessed several children enjoying themselves during the event. I immediately regretted not bringing my kids. This is a great exhibit for families!

Well, I don’t want to give away too much. I would love for you to attend “Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience” yourself! The event starts Friday, September 24, 2021 and runs through November 14, 2021. They have daytime and evenings hours, so you can choose if you want to do a family outing, or date night! Love that!

For more information, and to purchase tickets, please visit VanGoghSanJose.com.

What I wore to the “Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience” event:

Enjoy the event, and thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy

*I was gifted tickets to this event. all thoughts and opinions about the event are my own. all photos are my own too.

San Jose Art Walk Tour

 in General Fashion / Travel  tagged art / family / outfits / san jose / staycation by
Standing in front of the “Veteran’s Memorial of San Jose” and next to “Untitled” by Kenneth Matsumoto.

wearing: hoop earrings / grey scarf / charcoal cardigan (super soft!) / black long sleeve tee / black belt with snake buckle / holiday nail polish / black handbag / destroyed jeans (under $40) / Gucci platform sneakers /

I love finding local, cultural activities to explore and show my kids. When I heard about the San Jose Art Walk in downtown San Jose, I was excited to learn it was both an opportunity to walk around and get fresh air, as well as explore outdoor art.

The San Jose Art Walk is a public art tour of over forty different art pieces. There is a combination of murals, statues, and more! When I first looked at the map, I thought it would be a one day activity. I was wrong! There is a lot to explore; making this is a great multi-day activity.

There are a few installations which are best seen after dark. We all hopped into the car one evening and following the map, we explored LED light art installations around downtown San Jose. It was really interesting! I don’t have photos to share because we were in the car and I was driving. You will just have to explore the light installations yourself!

The second time we went downtown to explore the art walk, we parked near the Discovery Museum and walked throughout that portion of downtown, up to Cesar Chavez Plaza. This took roughly an hour and a half. We were able to see roughly 25% of the tour. We will definitely have to head back down to see the other portions of the art walk we missed!

From top left: Momotaro / Horizon / Space Dance for Peace 1 / Plumed Serpent /

Each art installation has a placard which describes the piece in more detail than you find on the map. It’s fun to follow the map, and look for each piece. In some cases, it feels like a scavenger hunt as you try to find an installation hidden in a courtyard, or behind a building. It’s a fun activity with the kids!

If you are local to the Bay Area, or you are visiting, this is a fun and free activity you can do! You can be ambitious, and try to see the entire art walk in one day, or you can break it up into different days like we are doing. Either way, it’s a great way to enjoy outdoor art while getting some exercise.

Here is a link to the San Jose Art Walk map-if you can print it out before you go, I highly recommend doing so! SanJoseca.gov.

Shop my casual fall outfit online:

Have you gone on the San Jose Art Walk in downtown San Jose? What did you think?

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

Thomas Fallon Statue 1989

History San Jose

 in General Fashion / Travel  tagged family / outfits / san jose / staycation / summer 2020 by

One of San Jose’s best kept secrets is History San Jose park. This mini, historical town features buildings which were saved from demolition, and brought here to recreate San Jose’s early days as an American town.

The buildings all have some sort of special meaning to local history. They were lived in by people who helped settle the area, or they were businesses which were a first in the area. Such as the first candy shop owned by the O’Brien Family pictured below. (apologies for the reflection, I took this photo through the window since the building was closed.)

The park is often used for events, picnics, and corporate parties. Some of the buildings are normally open to the public, and serve as mini-museums which tell their story, and how it fits into local history.

Of course right now, since we are partly shut-down due to the pandemic, only the outdoor areas are open. We will have to go back when things open back up in order to show the kids the inside exhibitions.

History San Jose is a beautiful park to spend some time walking around, and learning about local history. If you are local to the Bay Area, I highly recommend checking it out. There is free parking right in front-but it is limited. So arrive early. Otherwise, there is a fee lot a few feet away from the entrance. If you are traveling to the area, be sure to check it out, and learn about our early days!

Shop my fitness look:

Have you visited History San Jose? What did you think? You can learn more on their website here.

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy